


This Time We'll Be Happy...

by AmayaKuroi



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, College, Dreams, Drugs, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Violence, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-07
Updated: 2014-03-30
Packaged: 2017-12-28 16:31:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/994098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmayaKuroi/pseuds/AmayaKuroi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren is a college freshman at Maria University, and has recently been haunted by bloody dreams of an ancient world and strange bouts of deja-vu. Levi is a criminal living on the streets, making a living off of drugs and carnage, battling a dark past and secrets of his own. The two seemingly separate individuals meet in a streak of fate only to discover that they are inexplicably tied together, both in the past and future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dreams of Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends! This is my first submission on Archive of Our Own! Be gentle! It will be pretty long, not sure how long yet. I'm really excited about it so I hope you enjoy it! Future chapters will probably be pretty trigger heavy, so be warned. Expect violence and sexual content soon too. Now proceed my lovelies!

_A spray of blood, sparkling like rubies against a dimming sky. Yelling punctuated by screams of pain. Someone calling his name, over and over. Metallic flashes and sparks bursting in his peripheral vision. Earth-shattering roars. A familiar body lying face-down in a lake of red._

The loud beeping of the alarm clock brought Eren back with a jolt. He pounded the clock, effectively ceasing the offending noise. He was gasping for breath, covered in a cold sweat. He ran a shaking hand through his brown hair and looked around blurrily, trying to figure out where he was as his brain clicked slowly back into reality. He realized he was in his bedroom; the dawn was streaming through his window, illuminating his walls that were littered with beat up posters. He took a deep breath and ran his hand across his face.

“A nightmare?” he mumbled to himself. The details of the dream slipped away until all he was left with was a sense of dread. “Not again…” He glanced at the clock before throwing his covers off irritably and stumbling into the kitchen. His foster sister Mikasa was already in the kitchen, staring languidly at the toaster. Eren swallowed, trying to banish the pit in his stomach. Mikasa’s dark eyes moved to meet Eren’s green ones.

“Good morning.” She said smoothly.

“Morning.” Eren moved his eyes aside, hoping she wouldn’t notice anything.

“What’s wrong Eren?” Too late. Her usually lulling voice was tinged with worry, as it always was when it came to Eren.

“Nothing.” Eren grumbled quickly.

“Don’t lie to me Eren. Your face is pale, what’s up?” She insisted. Eren opened the old, 90’s style refrigerator testily, annoyed at the all-knowing, motherly tone that Mikasa always took, despite the fact that it was nothing new. He poured himself a glass of Sunny-D (real orange juice was a rare commodity) and collapsed into one of the chairs at the kitchen table.

“It’s nothing really, Mikasa. I just had a nightmare.”

“One of those dreams?” Despite the vagueness of the statement, Eren’s heart jumped. 

“I don’t know. I don’t really remember this one, but probably.” 

“I thought you stopped having those.”

“I can’t control my dreams you know.” Eren snapped. Mikasa sighed and shook her head. A common habit when she dealt with Eren. 

“I’m just worried about you Eren, don’t bite my head off.” The toast popped up and Mikasa grabbed the slices of warm bread, spread marmalade on them, and offered one to Eren.

“Thanks.” Said Eren, mollified. Despite Eren’s short temper, Mikasa was always concerned for him, and even though it was overbearing at times, Eren was grateful. After all, they were each other’s only family. Eren chewed the toast slowly. It felt dry in his mouth, and there was still a pit in his stomach. He was distracted however, by the sight of a large, white envelope in the middle of the table.

“He came?” Eren asked.

“Late last night.” Mikasa nodded. The heavy pit was replaced with a familiar anger.

“How much this time?”

“He said he cut $100 because we are in college now and should start taking care of ourselves.”

“Bastard.” Eren seethed. The person who left the envelope was Eren’s father. Eren’s mother had died when he and Mikasa were 8 years old, only 2 years after Mikasa had been taken in. Life then was simple, happy and loving. Then Eren’s mother took sick. Eren and Mikasa never knew for sure what she was sick with, and could only entertain increasingly terrible possibilities. Eren’s father was a doctor, though like his mother’s illness, his father’s medical specialty was also a mystery. For all appearances it seemed like Eren’s father had tried desperately to save Eren’s mother, but to no avail. After her death Eren’s father’s sanity dwindled and at some point he gave up on trying to be a father. He faded away from the lives of the remainder of his “family”, to the point of abandoning the family home. He returned only once a month to leave a petty “allowance” for Eren and Mikasa, which they used for food and other commodities. Mikasa was the one who primarily dealt with him when he came, as Eren pointedly ignored him. As the years passed, the rage Eren felt towards him had ebbed for the most part, but every month he was passively reminded by the ever-thinning white envelope exactly how much he hated his father. 

“Stingy son of a bitch, he’d stop giving us money altogether if he wasn’t worried we’d try and turn him in.” Eren snarled, the horror of his dream successfully banished. For now. 

“It’s better than nothing.” Mikasa shrugged. Ever logical, ever apathetic. It made Eren sick sometimes.

“That’s not the point, Mikasa.” Eren glared at Mikasa. Her eyes narrowed. 

“I know, Eren, I know. But as long as I can feed you, I could care less.” She stood up, finished with her breakfast, and started to walk out of the kitchen.

“Come on, get ready. It’s our first day of college; we don’t want to be late.” She said, and flipped her glossy, shoulder-length black hair back as she walked out. Eren sighed. He was lucky to have Mikasa. He knew that. But the anger towards his absent father was not so easily dismissed. He dressed for school in a foul mood, throwing on slim faded dreams, his favorite graphic tee, and his trusty Converses. He messed with his hair just long enough until he finally accepted that it was never going to be neat, grabbed his wallet and backpack, and made his way to the front door to find Mikasa waiting and ready, slight impatience tainting her bored expression. She wore a white v-neck with red and black abstract patterns painting it, black boyfriend jeans, studded Vans, and her usual red scarf. When she saw Eren approaching, she slung her messenger back over her shoulder and opened the front door.

“Shall we go?” she asked. Rather than answering, Eren just nodded once and walked out.

“Do you have everything you need?” Mikasa glanced back. “Keys? Wallet? Schedule?”

“Yes mother.” Eren mumbled, and was rewarded with a slap on the forehead. They walked in a comfortable silence through the dilapidated neighborhood, headed to the bus stop that was at the edge of the town, where the suburbs melted into tall, cheap, apartment complexes. The university at which they were starting today was Maria University, chosen for its relatively close proximity (only a 10 minute bus ride), reasonable tuition, and slightly lower standards, enabling both Mikasa and Eren to get in on a scholarship. This significantly decreased the need for student loans, which would have been a pain in the ass to get. They had little to no financial record, and no way in hell would Eren’s father co-sign anything. Eren had put his nose to the grinder until it was almost gone, working to qualify for the offered scholarships, proving, if anything, his capacity to work under pressure. Mikasa had gotten it almost effortlessly, dismaying many teachers when she didn’t aim for any prospects above Maria University. She had simply responded that she would go wherever Eren went. She and Eren had a minor argument over this, but it evidently changed nothing. The bus arrived a few minutes after they arrived at the station, and they began to climb aboard. As Eren followed Mikasa, suddenly he was struck by a strange feeling. Someone was watching him. It wasn’t in a scary way however; Eren simply felt eyes on him. It was almost a nostalgic feeling, and anticipation bubbled in his chest. Eren swung his head around, one foot still on the sidewalk. He was greeted by dark, empty alleyways winding between the apartment complexes. He searched frantically, squinting his eyes, hoping for something he couldn’t name. 

“Eren?” Mikasa snapped Eren out of his reverie, and he looked at her.

“Sorry, it’s nothing.” He said and finished ascending the steps. The bus driver glanced irritably at Eren as he closed the doors, and pulled away before Eren sat down. Eren stumbled into his seat, cursing. Once the bus was well on its way, Eren settled in, his elbow on the window, thinking about what just occurred. Along with his dream just last night, these mysterious feelings were far from welcome. As Mikasa had implied, these dreams were nothing new. They had started when Eren was very young, he didn’t remember exactly when, and they were always the same type of dream. In his dreams, he lived in an old-fashioned town in a small country; familiar, but fragile. A false sense of security had been swiftly destroyed, turning the world into a world of blood, death and war. It was a war against fear, a war with giant monsters. Eren was one of the people fighting in that war. It was a dark world, but one Eren knew all too well. The dreams Eren remembered were very vivid, happening almost every night until suddenly, inexplicably, they had stopped. For two years Eren had been free from the terrible visions. Up until last night. More than anything, Eren wanted to know why. Why he had these dreams, why they had gone away, and why they had returned. The bus stopped at the university, beyond the notice of Eren, who was still staring blankly out the window. This time he was snapped back by a hard flick on the back of his neck. 

“Ow!” Eren yelled, glaring back at Mikasa.

“You really are out of it. Get your shit together already.” The words were harsh, but the tone was concerned. Eren just stood up and walked off the bus. He exited the doors and his vision opened up into a massive campus, littered with tall, old, brick buildings. Trees dotted the winding sidewalks randomly, coming to a focal point at a large, ornate fountain. Eren was distracted by the extensive spray of structures, and he wondered vaguely if he remembered where all his classes were. He began walking across campus with Mikasa, when he heard an excited cry to his left. 

“Mikasa! Eren!” A flash of blond hair flew toward them and Eren felt an impact in his midriff as he and Mikasa were tackled into a hug.

“Armin!” Eren shouted joyously, one arming the small blond boy into a gentle headlock, earning stares and giggles from the surrounding students. 

“Eren! Jeez, cut it out!” Blue eyes glared at Eren, but Armin was smiling. Mikasa smiled gently at the pair and pulled Armin out of Eren’s grip. Armin ran a hand through his chin length hair, putting it back in place after Eren’s friendly assault.

“I’m so glad I caught you guys! I was worried I wouldn’t see you today!” Armin breathed quickly.

“Me too!” Eren replied. “God, how are you man? How was your trip?”

“Great! Do you want to chat while we walk? Where are you headed?”

“Liberal Arts building.” Eren grumbled, not entirely excited for class.

“I’m in PE next door.” Mikasa offered.

“Sweet! I’m headed to the LA too, let’s go!” The trio walked across campus, chatting animatedly. Armin immediately jumped into a description of the summer long trip he took with his grandfather. They had gone all over the country, stopping in various cities for days at a time. Armin’s eyes shone as he described all the new things he’d seen and places he’d been. Eren smiled at Armin’s undisguised show of joy. Armin was an old friend; the three of them had grown up together. To Eren, he was a brother. Armin had lost his parents when he was only 3 years old, and was raised by his grandfather. Armin was incredibly intelligent, and was always at the top of the class. His only weakness was in his body. Athletics constantly managed to evade him. However he was incredibly resourceful and quick thinking, more than making up for his physical deficiencies. He was the kind of kid that was bound to have a bright future ahead of him, and Eren (Mikasa as well) would do anything to make that happen. Maria University was by no means a bad school, but Armin, like Mikasa, could have done so much better. In Armin’s case, he wanted a close school with a full-ride scholarship available, so that he didn’t put any unnecessary burden on his grandfather. He was also more than thrilled to attend the same college as Eren and Mikasa. They happily exchanged conversation across the busy campus until all too soon, they arrived at their respective buildings. They arranged a time and place to meet up for lunch and grudgingly went their separate ways, but Eren and Armin discovered excitedly that they had the same class, LIT 1000. They wandered to the middle area of the large, auditorium-like classroom, and continued talking as the room slowly filled with people.

“Oh yeah.” Eren said. “Get this Armin, I had one of those old nightmares again.”

“What? Really?” Armin’s eyes widened curiously. “Didn’t they stop for awhile?” 

“Yeah. It’s been two years. I have no idea why they came back.”

“Maybe it will be just the one.” 

“I hope so.” Eren sighed. Armin leaned back in his chair, fingers on his chin, contemplative. Eren was about to ask what he was thinking, when the door opened, and a cheerful voice cut through the collective murmur. 

“All right class! Let’s go ahead and get started, welcome to Literature 1000, I’m your professor, Petra Ral!” The person who walked into the room was a small, cute woman with reddish-blond hair and bright amber eyes. She was very sunny in personality, and carried herself with an easy confidence. As Eren gazed at her, a strange feeling rose up from his stomach to his chest. For a split second, their eyes met as Petra swept them across the room, and Eren was suddenly struck by a whirlwind of emotions. He cycled through nostalgia, joy, regret, and a haunting despair. He gripped the edge of his desk, overwhelmed.

“Eren?” Armin whispered. Eren took a deep breath, and released it slowly as the oppressive feeling faded. Eren was left, however, with a strange, sad, familiarity. Completely unaware of the emotional rollercoaster her presence had caused Eren, she continued speaking to the class, introducing herself as well as the class, discussing the syllabus and such. Eren was mildly surprised to find that her voice was comforting to him. The hour passed rather quickly, and Eren said goodbye to Armin, glancing back at Petra before leaving. Eren’s next two classes, Biology and Health, passed without incident, and Eren wandered to the fountain at the center of campus, where he was meeting Armin and Mikasa so they could go to lunch together. He was glad that he had gotten out of class early, so he had some time to collect his thoughts. He was experiencing stress that he hadn’t felt in a long time. A horrifying dream, a heightened sense of presence, and powerful emotional reactions to people he had never met before. Well, that he had probably never met before. The basis of these emotional reactions was a strong sense of déjà-vu. It was truly mysterious how just the face of someone he couldn’t remember meeting elicited such an extreme emotional connection. It wasn’t however, the first time this had happened. Every once in awhile, he would meet people and be overcome by a sense of familiarity towards them. Various emotions would always come along as a package: anger, regret, joy, fondness, camaraderie, respect, and almost every time, a crushing sadness. It wasn’t just the faces Eren recognized either, there were instances where he felt he knew the person’s personality, smiling at quirks he hadn’t seen yet. When he was a child, he would openly talk about this and was met with jeers, disbelief, and sometimes, fear. Teachers would be concerned for his mental state, and his parents would ask in exasperated voices what kind of game he was trying to play. Armin and MIkasa were the only ones who listened to him, and the two of them were also people who haunted the edges of Eren’s memory. After awhile, he stopped talking about it, rarely mentioning it to Armin or Mikasa, and he grew to realize that this was definitely not normal, which scared him immensely. Even more terrifying however, was the fact that sometimes he knew exactly how he knew the person; they had appeared in his dreams. In today’s case, that he had met a “familiar” (as he occasionally called them) the morning after he saw one of the dreams he thought were gone forever concerned him greatly. He felt a foreboding, knowing despite his best hopes that it wasn’t over, and he dreaded the emotional tornado that was on the horizon. The fact that he couldn’t control or avoid it, much less understand it, only added to the dread. He let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding and turned to stare at the fountain, trying to drown his thoughts with the sound of the flowing water. 

“Eren!” A happy voice shouted. He turned to see Armin and Mikasa walking towards him. He pasted on a smile as they approached.

“Hey guys, how was class?” Eren asked.

“Great!” Armin answered enthusiastically. Mikasa shrugged noncommittally, which usually meant everything was fine.

“Where do you want to go eat?” Eren looked around, “I’m pretty hungry.”

“I heard the burger place on the edge of campus is really good. It’s a little expensive, but we can splurge on the first day, right?” Armin offered brightly, and Mikasa nodded.

“Sounds good to me.” She said. Eren agreed with her and once again they started off across campus together. It took about ten minutes to reach the burger place, and they walked in, eager to get food. It was an old fashioned, diner style restaurant, where you ordered food at the counter and it was brought to your table. The décor was a cliché red and white, with chrome accents. Pictures of musicians and actors littered the walls, and an old jukebox was warbling an old 60’s rock song in the corner. It was fairly busy, filled with the hum of conversation and the barbeque-like smell of cooking food. Eren’s stomach growled as he walked up to the counter. At the register was a pretty blond girl with a sharp nose and blue eyes. She was rather deadpan in expression, but it was strangely charming on her. She flipped her thick bangs aside and looked at Eren. He gasped as he was once again hit with an emotional impact. Anger. Disbelief. Shock. Regret. An image flashed in his mind of her face, set in an intimidating growl, and then it changed to tears falling blankly down her bloodied face. He clenched his fists and Armin shot him a concerned side glance. 

“Annie?” Eren was surprised to hear Mikasa’s voice and looked over to see her addressing the girl behind the counter. 

“Hey Mikasa.” The blond girl answered, leaning forward casually. 

“You work here?”

“Yup. Part-time after classes.” Annie spoke low, but smooth and controlled. Armin stepped up a little shyly. 

“A friend of yours, Mikasa?” He asked politely.

“We have PE together.” Mikasa said. Annie nodded.

“One of these guys your boyfriend, Mikasa?” Annie drawled carelessly. Mikasa snorted.

“Nah. This is Armin, a childhood friend, and this dork over here is my brother.” Eren glared at Mikasa at the snub.

“Hmmm. You don’t look alike.”

“Technically we are foster siblings.” 

“Cool.” Annie shrugged. “Anyway, I’m assuming you’re here for food? What do you want?” Annie went over the menu a bit, making recommendations and the three ordered their food. They exchanged small talk as long as they dared, and Annie slid a number plaque across the counter. 

“It’ll be about ten minutes. Nice to meet you guys.”

“Thanks Annie.” Mikasa said.

“It was nice to meet you too!” Armin smiled brightly. Annie returned the smile, albeit significantly duller, and nodded. Eren waved casually and went to sit down, still a little shocked at his second case of déjà-vu today. The three of them sat down at a booth table and placed their number near the edge. Armin started chatting with Mikasa about classes. Eren let them talk, only offering intermittent comments, and lapsed into thought. Every so often he glanced at Annie behind the register. Their food came quickly, and they dug in with abandon. The burgers were juicy and flavorful, the fries thick and crispy, and the shakes sublime. They passed the time eating and chatting, until MIkasa stood up, announcing she had to go to work.

“Woah, it’s that time already?” Armin glanced at his watch, surprised. It was almost 3:00. 

“Yeah,” Mikasa nodded, “I have to leave now to catch the bus, see you later Armin. Eren, I’ll be home around 10:00, I have the closing shift. You’ll need to do dinner on your own, don’t get into any trouble.” Eren growled affirmatively as Mikasa dumped her trash and walked out, waving to Annie. Armin looked over at Eren.

“What do you want to do Eren? I have a class in a half hour, want to hang out a bit longer or get going?”

“You have more classes? You’re crazy, Armin.” Eren said, amazed. Armin laughed unconcernedly. 

“I enjoy it, so it’s no problem.”

“That’s so like you.” Eren shook his head. “I’m gonna go ahead and head home if that’s okay.”

“Sure. I’ll walk you to the bus stop.” They gathered their trays and threw their garbage away. Armin shouted a farewell to Annie who lifted her hand in acknowledgement. They left the comfortable diner, blinking as their eyes adjusted to the bright afternoon sun. The campus was significantly less crowded, and Eren reveled in not having to knock shoulders with every person within a three-foot radius. 

“Hey, Eren?” Armin said quietly. Eren turned curiously.

“What’s up?” He answered.

“Are you okay? You’ve been really distracted today, and you acted strange in our lit class. When we met Annie too, you went pale. Does it have to do with last night?” Armin stared intently at Eren, and Eren knew he wouldn’t be able to talk his way out of this one. Armin was too sharp, and they knew each other too well. Maybe saying something would release some of the weight. Armin always was an incredibly good listener. 

“It’s nothing much, Armin, just…” He sighed. “Remember how I used to… feel like I knew people?” Eren paused, but Armin said nothing, silently urging Eren to continue.

“Well… it’s been awhile, but today when Miss Ral walked into the room I was like… hit with a really strong déjà-vu. I felt weird, like just seeing her made me really sad, but kind of happy too. Same thing with Annie; and I had a memory of her face, like a flashback. It’s just confusing. I thought all this stuff was gone, but it happened the day after I had a dream again. I just don’t know what’s going on anymore.” Eren finished, clenching his teeth. Armin nodded sympathetically. 

“The strangest thing is how they’ve come back.” He said. “It makes you wonder if there is some kind of trigger. A lot of psychological anomalies have a kind of direct cause that you can’t always see on the surface.”

“Psychological anomaly?” Eren said with a raised eyebrow. Armin waved his arms quickly.

“No- I mean- I didn’t- Oh Eren you know what I meant!” Armin stumbled over his words, red faced, causing Eren to laugh. 

“I know, I know. Armin, I’m just teasing you.”

“Eren…” Armin whined.

“No really, Armin, I’m sorry. Trust me, I know it’s an ‘anomaly.’ I wish I could see a cause, I’ve tried to make connections, but I can’t seem to find any.”

“Hmmm.” Armin was contemplative again. They walked in silence towards the bus stop. When they arrived, Eren turned to Armin with a half-grin.

“Thanks, Armin. I needed to complain.” He said. Armin smiled back.

“No problem. I’m going to do some research and see what I can find. Let me know if it happens again, okay?”

“Sure. See you later.”

“Hang in there.” Armin waved as he turned and walked back towards campus. After a few minutes the bus pulled up. Eren climbed on, too absorbed in thought to give much consideration to the flashing number and destination on the front. He flipped his bus pass across the reader and sat down, throwing his backpack on his lap. The bus rumbled into gear and began rolling and bumping gently down the street. There were about ten other people scattered randomly on the bus. Separate lives in a separate world. To Eren, there was a barrier between them, rendering him separate and distant. This was how strangers should be. Simply another body, existing in whatever way they deemed best, not laden down with obtrusive emotions and visions. Bodies came and went, insignificant in Eren’s periphery. Ten minutes passed, and suddenly Eren noticed something wasn’t right. He wasn’t where he should be. The buildings looked unfamiliar, and a glance to the display in the front of the bus told him he was on the wrong one. Eren kicked the seat in front of him in a fit of irritation. He grudgingly decided to wait until the bus looped back to the university, then get off and wait for the right bus. At the moment the bus was winding through an old, rickety part of town. It was littered with bars, tattoo parlors, tiny neon-lit convenience stores, and tall apartment complexes, likely projects. Eren stared out of the window curiously; he definitely had never been here before. The bus began to slow, presumably towards another stop, and suddenly Eren felt something. It was fleeting, as if it was moving in and out of view. Anticipation. Desperation. Longing. Eren could only come to one conclusion. He had to get off this bus. Almost on cue, the bus stopped and the doors opened. Immediately Eren swung his backpack over his shoulder and darted off of the bus. He looked around frantically. People were dotted along the crumbling sidewalk, and groups sat huddled on the steps of buildings chatting, some passing a smoke around. Shadows crouched in the alleyways, surrounded by broken bottles and litter. None of them were important. Eren’s eyes flew across the scene, searching purely on instinct. A shadow moved in the corner of his eye, and he whirled around. He followed it, crossing the street and entering the labyrinth of alleyways. Something danced on the edge of his mind, prompting him to follow the paths between the buildings. He broke into a jog, suddenly getting desperate. He turned left and right, speeding up, when his foot caught on an uneven area of the cement and he stumbled. He flailed for a moment but caught his balance before he face-planted, landing hard on one knee. 

“Shit.” He cursed as pain lanced up his leg. The pang brought him out of his desperate hysteria, and he looked around, this time confused. He was deep within the apartment complexes and his heart jumped as he realized he had no idea where he was. Not only that, but it looked like a pretty bad neighborhood. And he was currently lost in it. He growled angrily at himself. 

“What the hell am I doing?” He stood up and tried to get his bearings, but every building and alley looked the same. “Fuck.” He resigned himself and began walking, deciding it was better than staying in one place. “What was that anyway?” He continued to mutter to himself. The feeling he had felt was almost a magnetic feeling, drawing him to find something. Except he had no idea what that something was. He still had a niggling feeling of desire poking at him, but he pushed it down. Just look where those feelings had gotten him. He put his hands in his pockets and kicked a piece of trash sullenly. As he approached an intersection, he ignored the rising sense that he should turn. He began to walk through, staring pointedly at the ground. 

“Hey, brat. What the fuck are you doing?” A voice sounded to Eren’s left. It was harsh, but low and smooth. And familiar. It was so familiar. Eren swung around, his heart leaping to his throat. In the shadow of a dead-end a man stood confidently, a glowing cigarette in his hand. He was short, but looked older than Eren. He had black hair styled in and undercut and parted neatly in the middle. He was dressed in all black, wearing a three-quarter sleeve wideneck shirt, skinny jeans topped with a thick studded belt, and combat boots. His ears glittered with silver piercings, and another shone on his left eyebrow. His face was blank and intimidating, with high cheekbones and a surprisingly delicate chin, entirely incongruent with his expression. His sharp eyes shone wickedly as they bore into Eren. Those eyes are what had first struck Eren. They were a steel grey and seemed almost fathomless. Eren stared into them, as if he was trying to see the soul behind them. The emotions he was trying to beat down came rushing to the surface. Eren almost couldn’t distinguish them as an endless stream of images flashed across his eyes, ending with the bloody image from his dream. His entire body went numb, except for the tears that stung his eyes. The ground rushed towards him and his vision faded. The last thing he saw was the other man’s face as he was sucked in by the darkness. 

“Cap…tain…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I hate exposition chapters. I hope it was interesting enough. Please give me comments and tell me what you think! I'm on tumblr so if you want to say something on there use the tag #fic: this time and I would love to hear what you think! (I like to pretend I'm popular :P) I'm hoping for a chapter a week but the reality is probably every two weeks. Busy college life and all. :/ Thanks so much people! See you next chapter!


	2. Ignorance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren wakes up to a mysterious yet familiar man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back everyone! And hello to anyone joining us for the first time! Here is chapter number 2! I must admit that I have always had a hard time with AU's, I very rarely read them, because they tend to have total character annihilation, and I'm a pathetic stickler for that kind of thing... but here I am writing one! :P I'm trying my best with the characters that I love, so I welcome your opinion. I just love the idea of reincarnation and I've always been fascinated with memories and dreams, so that is how this was born! Anyways, proceed and I hope you enjoy!

_A gentle light danced across Eren’s eyes, sweeping across a figure that sat beside him. The green cloak they wore fluttered in the wind, and the symbol on the back flowed with it. Eren couldn’t quite make the image out, though he stared at it intently. The figure next to him was staring into the distance, and dappled sunlight streamed through the tree above them. It was a rare moment of peace. The screams of the battlefield seemed so far away, but they were still there, on the edge of the hidden horizon towards which the figure stared.  The figure turned slightly towards Eren. The face was blurry in the light, but Eren knew the black hair and delicate jaw line.  An elegant, long fingered hand reached out and stroked Eren’s hair._

_“We still have time before we go back, sleep a little longer.” The figure said. The voice made Eren’s heart swell. He leaned into the touch and nodded, letting his eyes slide shut. The person chuckled softly as Eren drifted off._

_“Eren…”_

 

“Eren.” Eren’s consciousness was rising out of a thick darkness. Wanting to sink back in, he ignored the voice.

“Oi. Wake up already you damn brat.” Eren’s eyes snapped open and a light beige ceiling came into view.  He blinked, bewildered, trying to remember what was going on. “Good God, it took you long enough.” Eren’s head jerked to the right, and he was met with an irritated face. The same face from his dream was glaring him down, only this one was littered with piercings. With a jolt he remembered that he was wandering through the alleys looking for someone, when he had encountered this person. After that… he wasn’t so sure. He sat up and found he was in a queen-size bed, in a small room with a dresser, TV, and small closet. They way it was arranged was similar to a hotel. He looked over at the man, who had collapsed into a chair, his arms spread out and his legs crossed. It was an elegant pose, but at the same time was so intimidating. Everything about this man was intimidating. Yet, emotions other than fear bulged in his chest as he stared. The man glared in return and Eren dropped his gaze.

“Um…” He started.

“What?” was the harsh reply.

“What… Happened?”

“You don’t remember?” Eren shook his head.

“How convenient.” The man snorted. “You were wandering around like an idiot, just waiting to be stabbed, when you fucking passed out in front of me.”

“Stabbed… what?”

“You were in a place you shouldn’t have been.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said.”

“Where am I now?”

“Good God, if I knew you were going to be so dammed annoying I would have left your ass there.” He rolled his eyes and Eren smiled sheepishly.

“But… you didn’t.”

“Don’t get full of yourself.” Eren flicked his eyes up and down, embarrassed. He remembered the tender touch that was in his dreams, and glanced for a moment at the man’s hands. Long-fingered and elegant. Driven by pure emotion, Eren couldn’t stop the next phrase that spilled out of his mouth.

“I… know you…” He said quietly. The man tensed ever so slightly, and his steel eyes narrowed. He stood up, clutching something in his pocket.

“Oh?” A dangerous light glimmered in his eyes. “And how would you know me, exactly?”

“I’m not sure… I- What’s your name?”

“You don’t need to know.” Eren stared at the man, trying to catch the words that seemed to be falling off the cliff of his mind.

“…Levi…?” He said slowly. There was a flash of silver and Eren was pushed violently back on the bed. He was pinned by the man’s legs, and something cold bit against his throat. It was a knife.

“How do you know my name?” Levi growled, hovering like a bird of prey over Eren. Eren didn’t dare move. The wicked blade was one wrong move away from slicing his throat. His heart beat wildly in his chest. He had to say something.

“I… don’t know.”

“Huh? What the hell do you mean?”

“I just… know. It’s like a strange déjà-vu. I just…” Eren trailed off, deciding not to add that this man was in the dream he just had. A subtle change flashed through Levi’s eyes, and after a long moment, he withdrew his knife and climbed off of Eren. He collapsed into the chair again, rattling off an irritated sigh.

“Fuck. You really are a pain.”

“So… where am I?”

“At an old motel. I guess it’s more of a housing complex now.” Eren stayed silent, he had a lot of questions, but the pressure coming from Levi compelled him to keep his mouth shut. He was surprised when Levi spoke first.

“So. Do you make a habit out of wandering into dark alleyways and passing out?” The tone was almost completely disinterested, but his eyes bored into Eren. Eren bristled instinctively, sensing he was being looked down upon. He tried to come up with a retort, but all that came out was a vehement:

“No!” Levi snorted derisively.

“What a convincing response. Kids like you should just go home and take your nap.”

“I’m not a kid! I’m almost 19!”

“Congrats. You are old enough to smoke in some states.”

“At least I’m not an old fart like you.” Eren spat, trying to remain tough, but wilting almost immediately. Electricity crackled in Levi’s eyes, but Eren wasn’t entirely sure what it meant. Eren stubbornly glared in return, despite wanting to disappear under the covers of the bed. Levi let out a short breath through his nose.

“Oh... normally most people would have pissed themselves by now. I don’t know if I should be amazed by your courage or your stupidity.” The knife was still in Levi’s hand, and he fiddled with it carelessly. Eren watched him, noticing that it was a long switchblade with a black handle. “For your information, I’m 28, hardly old fart territory. You, however, are definitely still a brat. Now that you are awake and somewhat sentient, I would suggest you get your ass back home.”

“What time is it? Where’s my stuff?” Eren jumped, looking around the room.

“It’s almost 6:30. You were snoozing happily for about two and a half hours. Here’s your shit.” Levi picked up Eren’s backpack off of the floor and tossed it deftly at Eren. Eren caught it clumsily, checking that everything was still there. Levi walked to the door, opening it and glancing back.

“You’re too slow. Hurry up, Eren.”

“Coming!” Eren scrambled out of the bed. Suddenly he stopped. He replayed what Levi had just said in his mind and his heart rate increased rapidly. “Wait… how do you know MY name?” Levi paused. Eren breathlessly caught up to him.

“I looked in your wallet for your I.D.” He said sharply. “Pretty stupid face you’re making in the picture.” Eren’s face flushed.

“I can’t help it! They didn’t warn me before taking the picture!”

“Hmmmph.” Eren followed Levi out the door. Looking around, he saw he was indeed at a motel, but the building was beat up and looked on the verge of collapse. The neon vacancy sign looked like it hadn’t been used in a decade.

“You said this was a housing complex?”

“Yeah. After it shut down someone started selling rooms for dirt cheap to bums off the street.”

“Do you live here?”

“Tch. Hell no. This place is too dammed filthy. And do I look like a bum to you? I do have a permanent room here though, in case I need somewhere to hide out.”

“Hide out? Why would you need to hide?” Levi stopped abruptly and Eren almost ran into him. He turned around and stared at Eren, their faces mere inches apart. Eren almost laughed at the height difference, but it died in his throat at the look in Levi’s eyes.

“Lay off kid. Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. It won’t be just a slap on the hand.” Levi growled, causing Eren to wither slightly. Levi turned and resumed walking and Eren followed quietly. They reached the street and stopped. Eren looked up and down the street. Absolutely nothing looked familiar. He glanced at Levi, who was watching him with a brow raised. It was evident that he had just expected Eren to run along. Eren stood there awkwardly, searching for a street name or a landmark he recognized, with no luck.

“Um… So where am I exactly?”

“You’ve got to be shitting me. Main St is around the corner.”

“Ummm.”

“Where do you live?”

“Suburbs of the Zhiganshina district.”

“And you seriously don’t know how to get there from here?”

“No. I got on the wrong bus and that’s how I ended up in the alleys.”

“Good Lord Jeager, how do you put your pants on in the morning without zipping your dick?” Levi sighed, his voice tinted with an exasperated pity. Eren bristled, but could only mumble incoherently. “Oh what the hell.” Levi said after a moment. “Come on then, I’ll take you home. Start drawing a map in that blank brain of yours.” Levi took off without a backward glance and Eren followed eagerly. If he was being completely honest, Eren was quite happy that he could spend more time with Levi. Abrasive personality notwithstanding, Eren was drawn to him. Though at this point he wasn’t sure if it was the déjà-vu or his own perceptions. At the very base of it was the mystery. This dark, intimidating man was intriguing. Eren wanted nothing more than to unravel the enigma that was Levi. It was almost like an itch, but one that if scratched, would likely bleed. The temptation to relieve the itch was far greater than the prospective pain. Eren was nothing if not stubborn. He followed Levi doggedly, and broke the oppressive silence.

“So… um.”

“What?”

“You said you were 28, what do you-“

“If you think you are going to get an autobiography, you’re shit outta luck brat.”

“You could tell me something about you.” Eren pouted.

“Why do you need to know about me?”

“I’m curious. I mean, you did help me after all.”

“There’s a reason why phrases like ‘curiosity killed the cat’ exist.”

“Why did you do that by the way?”

“Do what?”

“Help me.” Eren mumbled these last words and Levi slowed to a stop. Eren was suddenly nervous to hear the answer. Levi turned about halfway, not moving his feet but looking over his shoulder. He stared at Eren for what seemed like forever.

“Despite all appearances, I’m not a completely heartless bastard. If I had left you there you would have been robbed blind. Who knows where you would have woken up, if you woke up at all.”

“Would it really have been that bad?”

“Yes it would have.”

“Did you carry me to the motel?”

“No, I levitated you. Good Lord you have a lot of questions. Use whatever brain you have and think a little.”

“Thank you.”

“Huh?”

“For helping me.” Levi blinked twice, his expression shifting to one of slight bewilderment, as though he hadn’t expected the conversation to take this turn and he didn’t know how it connected. He turned away and resumed walking, and Eren was disappointed at losing the connection he had with those eyes.

“Just don’t go wandering there again.” Levi said. “A weakling like you would be eaten alive.”

“I’m not weak!”

“Of course not. I’m sure you’ve won many life-threatening school-yard fights.” Levi snorted. Eren’s face burned indignantly, not willing to admit that Levi was pretty much right. Eren followed Levi down the road, and looked around curiously as they turned down a side street.

“Where are we going?”

“I believe we established that we are going to your house. I’m taking a shortcut. I tend to avoid main roads.”

“Why?”

“Too many people, too many cops hanging around.”

“Why would you avoid the cops?” Once again Levi stopped short. Before Eren knew what was happening, he was pinned up against the wall of a nearby building. He coughed at the impact, but couldn’t get another breath in as one of Levi’s arms was pressed against his throat.

“You really have too many fucking questions.” Levi hissed. “Do you use anything in that goddamned void of a skull you have? Did it ever occur to you that ignorance might really be bliss? That knowing the answers might get you in deep shit? Know your fucking place, brat. I’m avoiding the cops because I’m liable to get in trouble with them. End of story. Now lay off.” He backed off and Eren collapsed onto the asphalt, breathing heavily as air rushed back into his lungs. Levi stared down at him. Eren rubbed his throat and looked up.

“I’m sorry.” He said hoarsely. “But… even if you say that, I still want to know.”  It was the only thing Eren could think to say, and he hoped Levi would leave it at that. If he asked why, Eren was afraid he wouldn’t be able to answer.

“Then you really are an incurable idiot.” Levi offered nothing else and turned away briskly. Eren stared after him. He’d been put in his place, sure, but he wasn’t going to be brushed off that easily.  Stubborn as a bull, remember. He stood up and brushed his pants off, following Levi at a jog. Levi didn’t give so much as a backward glance to acknowledge Eren’s presence. Eren focused on his back, taking in the small form that was Levi. He was thin, with a long neck and lithe, almost womanly legs. Shoulder blades poked out of his tight shirt. To the untrained eye he would have looked delicate, but he exuded and easy, almost effortless power. Underneath the bored expression, which gave the impression that the world didn’t deserve his full attention, there was a roiling strength. The parts of skin that Eren could see were tight with the signs of toned muscle. Eren had felt it for himself when he was pinned against that wall. Heat rose to his face as he realized he was ogling quite shamelessly. As they wound through the backstreets in silence, Eren tried (as instructed) to get his bearings. They took so many turns and bends that Eren had a hard time keeping track, and was amazed that Levi knew where he was. Levi reached into his back pocket and pulled out a black and gold box, along with a zippo lighter. He flipped open the box and pulled out a long cigarette. He quickly and deftly flicked the lighter against his pants, opening the top and lighting it simultaneously. He lit the cigarette and took a long drag, holding the smoke between two elongated fingers.

“You shouldn’t smoke, it’s bad for you.” Eren dared.

“Look at all the fucks I give.” Levi drawled, stuffing box and lighter back in his pocket. It wasn’t an unsurprising answer, but Eren sighed. He tried to get a look at Levi’s face, wanting to gauge whatever expression he had on. It was pretty evident that Eren had crossed some kind of line earlier, but the exchange just now seemed to break the ice a bit. It was hard to read Levi; he was virtually expressionless and contradictory in so many ways. But he seemed more relaxed right now, seeming only marginally concerned with whether Eren spoke again or not. Eren took this chance eagerly.

“You seem to know this area pretty well.” Eren chose his words carefully, fishing for info without seeming too pretentious. Levi finally glanced back, and exasperated warning in his eyes.

“I spent most of my time wandering the streets as a teenager. I still do, I suppose. I know this whole county by heart, if not most of the state.”

“That’s really cool. I’m pretty hopeless when it comes to direction.”

“Hmmph. I noticed.” Eren took the jab in stride, sensing that Levi wasn’t necessarily insulting him to hurt him; it was simply a casual, albeit harsh, tease. Eren was dying to ask why Levi was constantly on the streets, but decided that would have to wait for later. He was working his brain for another unobtrusive question, when Levi suddenly spoke.

“Hey.”

“Huh?”

“You said something about déjà-vu or some shit, what did you mean by that?”

“Oh, well it’s kinda weird and complicated, I don’t know if-“

“Try me.”

“Ummm… Ever since I was a kid I’ve had weird dreams, and sometimes I would meet someone, and for some reason, feel like I’d known them for years. Like I’d have these really disconnected memories and feelings, sometimes stronger than others. I honestly don’t know how to explain it.”

“You’re right. That is some weird shit.”

“Hehe…”

“And this happened when you saw me?”

“Yeah… and the impact was really strong.”

“That’s why you passed out.”

“…Probably”

“Hmmm…”

“Do you believe me?”

“I wouldn’t say that. It’s pretty fucking Twilight Zone if you ask me, but you don’t strike me as much of a liar.” Eren’s mouth dropped slightly. He had expected to be completely ridiculed, but he had been met with a perfectly logical response. Levi was the first besides Armin and Mikasa to take it in such stride. Eren couldn’t help but be overwhelmingly happy. He tried to keep his face from breaking into a stupid smile, but a grin slipped past. Levi raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Levi rounded a corner and they entered a long alleyway. The sun was starting to set, and was low enough to glare at them through the shadows of the buildings. It enveloped Levi in an orange-red light, throwing his body into stark relief. When the scenery outside began to open up, suddenly a voice echoed in the back of Eren’s mind.

_“Hey brats. What is going on here?”_

Eren gasped. His body felt a dull burn. Levi stopped and glanced over his shoulder. Suddenly a green cloak fluttered from Levi’s back, and his hands held long, sword-like blades. Eren felt a surge of admiration and hope. Eren’s knees buckled, and the ground rushed toward him. He closed his eyes, bracing for impact. Instead he felt an arm around his shoulders, and his legs landed on something much softer than asphalt. He shook off the daze, the smoke at the corners of his vision beginning to fade. He blinked a few times and looked up, only to find that Levi’s face was hovering over his own. Levi had caught Eren as he fell, kneeling to put his legs between Eren and the cement and supporting his back with his arm. Eren had fallen into Levi’s lap, he realized with a twinge of embarrassment, but he couldn’t move. Levi’s eyes had once again locked him in place.

“You ok, kid?” Levi said flatly.

“Yeah… I just got lightheaded again.”

“Fuck Jeager, with all your swooning and fainting you might as well be some kind of maiden.”

“Shut up.” Eren growled, red-faced. Levi grunted and pushed on Eren’s shoulders, helping him stand up. Levi brushed his hands on his pants, as if catching Eren had dirtied them somehow.

“Well you’re practically home now, would you like me to carry you the rest of the way, princess?” The idea didn’t seem half bad actually, but Eren’s pride had suffered enough.

“What do you mean I’m practically home?” Eren asked, confused. Levi just jerked his head toward the mouth of the alley, and Eren looked. Out past the buildings and across the street was the bus stop he used that morning. He and Levi had been walking for maybe ten minutes. He had no idea they had been so close. Now he realized why Levi had been so condescending.

“Off you go then. I assume you know where you are now?” Levi asked.

“Yeah… I… Thanks.” Levi simply nodded. Staring at the bus stop, he had a strange feeling like he was supposed to realize something. He worked his brain, when suddenly it clicked into place. “It was you…” he said slowly.

“Huh?”

“I mean- this morning. Were you here this morning around 8:30?”

“Maybe. What’s it matter?”

“When I was getting on the bus I… sensed you I guess?”

“Yup. Definitely fucking creepy.” Levi snorted. Eren just chuckled a bit.

“Strange… It’s like my memories were trying to force me to find you.”

“Do you even realize how goddamned corny that sounds?”

“Haha. I guess…” He trailed off. A question was pressing at his lips. He decided to just let it go. “Can I see you again?”

“No.” Eren was taken aback by the abrupt answer.

“Why not?”

“It’s a bad idea.”

“But-“

“Shut up, brat. Just hurry along home.” Eren frowned, but adjusted his backpack over his shoulder and stepped out of the alley.

“Thanks again, Levi.” Eren said, “For helping me and taking me home.” Levi just hummed in response. Eren lamented the lack of actual parting words, but started off on his way home. He crossed the street and passed the bus stop before he glanced back. Levi had already disappeared into the alleys. He sighed and continued toward his house, pondering today’s events.

 

* * *

 

 

Eren opened the door to his house and flicked the lights on in the entryway. He almost shouted for Mikasa when he vaguely remembered that she was at work. She worked at a coffee shop that was in walking distance of their house. Mikasa usually worked in the morning, but now that school had started she would be picking up mostly night shifts. She’d had the job for about three months, getting it to compensate for their increasing expenses and lessening “allowance.” Getting any kind of job was hard for them, most employers looked at their background and considered them to be delinquents, and rather than sympathizing with them for their absent father, they were judged as more trouble than they were worth. Even Mikasa’s job was given to her thanks to the help of Armin’s grandfather. This complete disregard for them was another source of fury in Eren. At the moment however, this was the last thing on his mind. He kicked his shoes off and threw his backpack into his bedroom, wandering to the living room and collapsing on the couch. It was torn and ragged, and at one point they’d had to repair the inner frame and one of the legs with planks of wood that were lying around. But it was worn-in and comfortable, and Eren pressed his cheek onto the cushions, breathing in the familiar scent. He closed his eyes for a moment and an image floated in his vision.

“Levi…” The person he saw flitted between the black-clad man to one in a flowing cloak. Levi was a “familiar.” But he was different. He meant more. Eren felt like he was supposed to find him, like he’d been subconsciously searching for him. Levi had scoffed it off as corny, and Eren wasn’t denying that, but he was dead serious. He was also determined. He was determined to figure out why Levi was so important. Why he was _Levi_. What Eren knew so far was that Levi was short, irritable, intimidating, possibly very dangerous, and unexpectedly caring. The other thought that floated to his mind was that Levi was attractive. He blushed and the thought and forced it down. He rolled onto his stomach and smashed his face into the couch with a groan. This was a problem. He was lost in the trajectory of his own thoughts for awhile, determinedly avoiding thoughts that involved him falling into Levi’s lap, or being straddled by him, or being pinned against a wall by him. He pounded his feet on the edge of the couch in frustration. None of those incidents were even the slightest bit romantic, and Eren was mortified at how much that bothered him. After about an hour of these irritating thoughts his stomach growled and he rolled off of the couch. He walked, grumbling, into the kitchen and tossed a frozen pizza in the oven. After twenty minutes he pulled it out and ate it in a huff. When he was done he returned to the couch, mind still buzzing. He turned on the TV for the sake of background noise and passed the hours trying to make sense of the day. He heard the front door open and he sat up.

“I’m home Eren, you here?” Mikasa’s voice called.

“Yeah.” Eren answered as normally as possible. As much as he loved Mikasa, telling her about this afternoon was undoubtedly a bad idea. She was too overprotective to let it slide that he had gotten lost, passed out in front of a total stranger, and was taken to a motel by a potentially malignant man.  She wandered into the living room pulling at her scarf.

“Today was awful.” She sighed. “One of the new employees broke the espresso machine and was a total bitch about it. On top of that we were at least three times busier than normal. I’m exhausted. I think I’ll just shower and go to bed.”

“That sucks. Go for it, I’ll probably be up a little while longer.” Perfect. Eren wasn’t sure how long his bullshitting would last. Especially against Mikasa.

“Did you eat?”

“Yeah. Frozen pizza.”

“Was it the last one?”

“I think so.”

“We’ll have to go shopping soon. I get paid tomorrow so in the next couple days.”

“Okay.”

“That reminds me. The burger place we went to today had a ‘hiring’ sign out front. You should think about applying. If we keep getting less from that man we’ll need it.”

“They won’t hire me. No one ever does.” Eren spat.

“I’ll talk to Annie, we hit it off really well. I bet I could work something out.”

“I’ll try I guess.”

“Good. Well I’m getting in the shower. Good night Eren.”

“Night.” Eren fell back on the couch cushions as Mikasa stepped out.

“And don’t forget to clean your dishes!” She shouted back as an afterthought. Eren rolled his eyes and groaned in reply.  Their dishwasher had been busted for over a year now, so they either had to continuously buy paper dishes or hand-wash them. Just another piece of evidence showing how poor they were. Mikasa would say that they were lucky they weren’t on the streets. _Like Levi_. Eren thought. Why was he on the streets anyway? The way he talked (and looked) made it seem like he wasn’t homeless per se, but he didn’t seem like he was living any semblance of a “normal” lifestyle. And he avoided cops. Was he a criminal? If that was the case he definitely wasn’t telling Mikasa. With his dangerous eyes and rough, almost gothic choice of clothing, he certainly didn’t _look_ like an upstanding member of society. But society and their perspectives were shit anyway, Eren knew at least that much. Eren didn’t really care what Levi was, he was just determined to find out. He hesitated when he remembered how Levi said he could not see him again, but decidedly disregarded it. The question was how Eren would find him again. He vaguely recalled the way back to the motel, but remembered that Levi rarely used it. Maybe if he went back to the alley where he’d first run into him yesterday, he’d find Levi again.  He entertained the thought for awhile, considering what he would say and how Levi might react. When he finally rose out of his almost too-excited train of thought he glanced at the clock across the room and was slightly embarrassed to find that it was almost one in the morning. He dressed for bed, wishing he didn’t have to go to school tomorrow, and slipped slowly into sleep.

 

_It was dark and he was lying on something hard. His body twinged in slight pain as he quickly sat up. He blinked at a harsh orange light in the distance. He heard a clink, and felt a weight on his wrists. Thick vertical lines formed out of the orange light and he realized with dread that they were iron bars. Two silhouettes began to form, one sitting, and one standing._

_“Commander in chief of the Survey Corps, Erwin Smith... and Captain Levi?” Who were these people again? Why did he know their names? Why was he here? Who was he?_

_“Do you have any questions?” The sitting figure asked. So many questions. But his head couldn’t form them anymore. A murmuring conversation buzzed past his ears and he was only vaguely aware that he was speaking as well. The room pressed down on him. He was in a cage. A dark, iron-clad cage. He needed to get out. Suddenly a voice rose from a murmur to a clear ring._

_“Hey, answer the question you piece of shit. What is it you want to do?” What did he want to do? His voice growled out an answer but he didn’t hear it. He wished he had. The standing figure moved toward him but the bars in his vision expanded, crushing down on him and the figure disappeared into darkness._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please please give me comments! Hearing what you guys have to say makes me giddy and encourages me to write! I will reply to all comments. I had a bit of a hard time with this chapter because there is so much I want to do with Levi and Eren, but I have to pace myself! ahahaha~ 
> 
> Chapter three is in the works, and I hope I will have it up soon!
> 
> I'm still happily tracking #fic: this time on tumblr and please feel free to visit my blog for updates on this fic (plus lots of AoT and other yaoi spam... ehehe)   
> http://xx-amaya-kuroi-xx.tumblr.com/ 
> 
> Thanks a lot for reading! See you soon!


	3. Dissonance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Child don't follow me home  
> You're just too perfect for my hands to hold  
> If you choose to stay you'll throw it all away  
> And I just want to take your innocence"  
> -Halestorm, Innocence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Peeks out from under a rock* Sorry about the wait, everyone. I hope your happy to see me! Song drop in the summary, but honestly it kind of influences everything in this story. Enough talking, enjoy the read! Kudos and comments are GREATLY appreciated!

Levi crushed a cigarette under the heel of his boot as he leaned against an alley wall. He eyed the pile around his feet with a sneer. Almost an entire box was scattered across the asphalt, a visual indication of his irritation. He wanted something stronger, something to completely kill any semblance of emotion. He growled as he realized what that would require, and just pulled another smoke out of his hollow box. Not even midday and he would have to go snag another pack. He drew himself further into the shadows, suddenly wary. He was closer to the main road than usual, and wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone. He took a deep drag on his new cigarette, trying to banish the frustration still flitting on the back of edges of his mind. The source of his irritation was all too clear to him.

“That damn brat.” He muttered. Damn brat, naturally, referred to Eren. His sudden appearance and subsequent loss of consciousness had not only been completely unexpected, but also entirely confusing. The kid obviously was out of place, and wasn’t a part of this area’s “community.” Normally Levi wouldn’t give a single shit about someone who was so idiotic and unguarded, but his wide green eyes had elicited a strange reaction.

_“Captain…” The kid had muttered this word as he collapsed, and Levi was struck to the core. He was momentarily frozen. His heart pounded with a strange pain. Eren had fallen on his side, and by some miracle he had not hit his head_. _Levi noticed with another shock that tears were slipping out of Eren’s eyes. Almost in a daze, Levi walked over to Eren and knelt next to him. He extended a hand and wiped the tears from his eyes. He wasn’t sure what compelled him next, but he gathered the limp body in his arms and lifted him. He shifted Eren’s backpack over his own shoulder and held Eren bridal style. Eren’s shoulders were bony, but strong, like a boy finally nearing the end of his transformation into an adult. What now? Levi wondered. He had to get him out of the streets at least. After a moment’s debate, he decided to take him to his room at the Sunshine Motel. He had often snorted at the name, to say nothing of his “neighbors”, but it was cheap, and it was convenient. He stared down at Eren as he walked. Eren was fidgeting slightly, as if he was dreaming. His brown locks tickled Levi’s arm, but oddly Levi didn’t mind. When he reached the motel, he ignored the few people hanging around outside, who were staring at him with a hazed amazement. He instinctively hid Eren’s face from view, but thought with disdain that they were obviously too strung out to remember anything outside of a ten-minute span. He shifted Eren’s weight onto one arm and opened the door to room 163. He locked and bolted the door behind him, taking a quick peek out of the eyehole. He deposited Eren on the bed, wrinkling his nose in disgust when a small cloud of dust puffed up. He hadn’t used this room in a while and it was now filthy. He glanced at Eren, who showed no signs of waking up, and rifled through the dresser drawer, pulling out his cleaning supplies. For the next hour and a half he meticulously tidied the room. When he was relatively satisfied, he sat on the edge of the bed, where Eren was still sleeping._

_“What the hell is up with this kid?” He muttered. “Hey.” He poked Eren’s cheek. “Rise and shine Sleeping Beauty.” Nothing. Levi twitched irritably. He flicked Eren’s temple hard, but Eren just moved slightly. Levi clucked his tongue, the barbell piercing clicking against his teeth, and stood up to get the spray bottle he had filled with water. He allowed himself an inner snicker as he pointed it at Eren’s face and pulled the trigger. Water burst out, coating Eren’s face with cold droplets. He hardly twitched, and Levi sighed, disappointed. “Did he go into a fucking coma or something?” He reached down to flick the water off of Eren’s hair, and was startled when Eren leaned in, nuzzling his hand. He jerked back as if bitten, and glared suspiciously at Eren, who was for all appearances, still out cold. Levi backed off and fell into the chair behind him. “The fuck?” That touch was tender. Too tender. Exactly what kind of dream was this kid having? He stared at Eren’s sleeping face. He was young, still carrying stubborn adolescence in his otherwise handsome features. Why had he helped this brat? He wasn’t sure, but it probably had to do with the word Eren had muttered upon losing consciousness. Captain… The word buzzed in his ear like a persistent mosquito. He tried unsuccessfully to swat it away. It didn’t make sense. The only captain he’d had in his life was Captain Morgan. He stared at the unconscious body before him, expression darkening with confusion by the minute. Suddenly the phone in his pocket started to vibrate, the buzz snapping his gaze away from Eren. When he pulled it out, ‘unknown caller’ flashed across the touch screen. He sneered as he slid his finger across and held the phone to his ear._

_“What.”_

_“Who jizzed in your coffee?”_

_“Shut the fuck up if you want to keep your tongue. What do you want?”_

_“Just wanted to let you know that you can come get the stuff. It got in earlier than expected.”_

_“Are you sure they didn’t fuck up the quality?”_

_“No worries there. Though I could use your expert opinion.”_

_“Hmph. I’ll be by tomorrow.”_

_“Too long. If you came by now I could be persuaded to accept another method of payment.”_

_“Like hell. I’ll see you tomorrow and I’ll be paying in CASH.”_

_“You’re no fun.”_

_“Fuck off.” Levi hung up without waiting for a reply and stuffed his phone back in his pocket. He looked quickly at Eren, who was still sleeping. He muttered a string of curses under his breath. The call had significantly worsened his mood. He stared at Eren, willing him to wake up. The boy’s chest rose and fell softly as he breathed. The steady rhythm, in and out, teased Eren’s hair, causing it to flutter around the frame of his face. His dark hair and equally dark eyelashes stood out against his skin. Time passed, and without noticing it, Levi slowed his breathing to match Eren’s. Eren made small movements as he slept, still dreaming. Levi felt a new twinge of irritation._

_“This brat… happily in his own world…” That’s it. Levi wasn’t waiting anymore. “Hey kid. Wake up. Shitty brat. Wake the fuck up already.” His demands got progressively louder, and he kicked the bed. Still nothing. Suddenly something popped unbidden into his mind. It wasn’t a word. A name?_

_“….Eren.” It fell off of his tongue. The boy stirred noticeably at that. Was it his name? Why did he know that? Levi decided to try again._

_“Eren.” Green eyes opened ever so slightly. Levi waited a bit, but they slid shut again. “Oi. Wake up already you damn brat.” Eren jolted awake and stared perplexed at the ceiling. The light overhead shone in Eren’s eyes and the green became speckled with an ocean blue, turning them a clear turquoise. “Good god it took you long enough.” Levi said. Levi was surprised that the brat didn’t break his neck with how fast he turned to look at him. Bright turquoise eyes met cold steel ones. So this was Eren._

Levi landed back in reality as he flicked ash off of his far-too-rapidly shrinking cig. Most of what happened after Eren woke up was a blur. Everything Eren had said was stupid and over-inquisitive. But somehow Levi had replied almost every time. The kid was more curious than a fucking kitten. Though admittedly, Levi considered him to be more of a puppy, with his honest reactions and clueless persistence. Levi had ended up saying far too much. Levi hated people who spoke without thinking. He was better than that. Luckily he had managed to catch himself before he revealed too much, but had to practically beat the kid to get him to back off even a little bit. It was better that way anyway, Eren was playing with fire. Levi had hoped that his threatening had scared him enough, but those hopes were shattered by one simple phrase.

_“Can I see you again?”_ No you dumbass. Whatever strange memories or feelings you have, it doesn’t merit the possibility of being burned. Of course the brat had no idea how close to the flame he was, and Levi had no intention of telling him. It was the definition of contradictory but he didn’t care. At the moment it seemed the best solution. The more distance between them the better.

“So why the hell am I here?” The reason he was so close to the main road was because he was lurking in an alley within view of the bus stop that Eren had allegedly gotten off of while he was lost. Maybe he just wanted to see if the brat was stupid enough to show up again, if he would come running up to Levi like a stray dog with the promise of food. Then Levi would have to take the chance to properly scare him away. No doubt that was it. That was why he was delaying the meeting with his contact and standing in clear sight of the main road. “Fuck.” He growled and kicked the wall. He glanced at his thick-banded, studded watch. It was about 1:00. Eren had shown up yesterday around 4:00. There was no reason to believe he would show up again anytime before that. If he ever did show up. He huffed and was about to leave when he saw a bus pull up to the stop. He watched it carefully. One person stood up on the bus and made their way to the doors. Levi darted around the nearest corner to hide from view and peered around it. The bus pulled away, revealing the figure that had climbed off. Messy brown hair, beat up backpack, and inquisitive green eyes.

“Goddammit.” Levi hissed. Eren looked around for a moment before crossing the street. Shadows fell across Eren’s face as he entered the space between the tall buildings. Levi sighed, flipped his cigarette on the ground, and rounded the corner to meet Eren.

 

* * *

 

“Hey kid! What the hell are you daydreaming about in my class?!” A sudden yell jerked Eren to attention, and he yelped as he was struck on the forehead by a whiteboard eraser. A nervous laugh rippled through the classroom. Eren rubbed his head and glared at the professor standing in the front of the room. The man stood brazenly before the whiteboard, attempting with all his might to look threateningly down at Eren, though Eren was a few rows up and technically above him. The professor’s face was wrinkled, presumably beyond his years, and seemed to be stuck in a condescending expression. He had a two toned undercut and his button-up shirt was topped with what mysteriously looked like a cravat. Aururo Bossard. A familiar. Eren had stopped in his tracks as he entered the room not twenty minutes earlier, earning a suspicious glare from his new History professor. Eren now glared defiantly at him, feeling entirely too confident in his rebellion.

“I was not daydreaming sir.” Eren said. That was a downright lie. As he had regarded the new familiar in his college life, bloody memories had turned exponentially into thoughts of Levi.

“Well then I feel bad that you constantly have a stupefied look on your face.” Aururo spoke loudly and confidently, a satisfied smirk on his face at his no doubt stinging burn. Eren just rolled his eyes (though a little fondly) as Aururo kept talking. “Hmmph. You kids just don’t understand. You have the privilege to listen to me and hopefully one day you’ll realize how lucky you are to have one such as me…” Eren tuned him out, subconsciously counting down in his head. Two… One… Zero. Right on cue, a stream of blood squirted out of Aururo’s mouth as he bit down on his flapping tongue. Eren snickered at the scene, the rest of the class trying to decide whether to laugh or be concerned. Aururo wiped his mouth as pompously as possible and dismissed the class. Eren grabbed his belongings and all but sprinted out of the classroom. He wanted to grab the soonest bus that he could, but remembered grudgingly that he promised Mikasa he would pick up an application from the burger place. He made his way to the diner, which looked quite out of place next to the tall, ancient school buildings. He blinked up at the sign, realizing he had never known the name of the place. Titan Burger. He pondered the odd name for a moment before stepping inside, the tinkling of the bell announcing his presence.

“Hey its Mikasa’s kind-of brother.” A bored voice drawled. Eren smiled hesitantly at Annie as he walked up to the counter.

“Hey.”

“You alone? Did you get ditched or something?”

“No I actually came in here for an application, I heard you were hiring.”

“Yeah I guess we are. I’ll go grab one.”

“Thanks.” Eren mumbled as Annie walked off. He was entirely unconfident that he would be able to get the job, but he had promised Mikasa he’d try. Lord knows they needed the money. He stood uncomfortably by the counter, shifting from foot to foot. Annie came back, a few sheets of paper clutched between her fingers.

“Here. Fill them out and bring it back ASAP. Ask for the manager or assistant manager when you do.”

“Sure… Thanks a lot.” Eren attempted a nervous smile and Annie just nodded. Eren left, reading over the papers he’d received. Name, date of birth, social security number, address, why do you want to work here, blah blah blah. Pretty typical. Eren’s heart dropped when he saw a rather extensive section reserved for previous experience. A note at the bottom of the page read, “At least a year of previous work experience required.” Eren groaned audibly. How the fuck was he supposed to get experience when no one had given him the chance? Godammit. He knew it was hopeless. At this rate he really was going to end up on the street. _On the street. Levi._ Eren jumped. He had almost forgotten the “plan” he had made last night. He made a beeline for the bus stop. He had looked up the bus that he had mistakenly gotten on the previous day and figured out its schedule. He glanced at his watch. 12:45. The bus should be arriving in a few minutes. He picked up his pace and caught the bus just on time. His “plan” wasn’t anything special. He was just going to go to the same alley he had found Levi in and was relying on the hope that he would be there again. It was entirely illogical, but Eren had an impressive track record for illogical and rash decisions. One of these was not telling Mikasa about last afternoon or a single word about today. Eren regretted it slightly, but decided that it was best. He was confused enough about the situation without having to try and relate it to his mama-bear of a sister. He leaned his head idly on the back of his seat, stuffing the job application into his backpack. He was struck with a sudden nervousness. What would Levi say? How would he react? Probably not well, Eren thought with a sigh. But he was going to figure Levi out, no matter what it took. He still didn’t know what made Levi so important, but the best way he knew to find out was to get to know him. Eren tried to create a conversation in his head as the bus made its way to the stop smack in the middle of the ghetto. However, the second he stepped off the bus, his beating heart completely drove all words out of his head. He headed toward the first alley across the street, the small space yawning up in front of him. He tentatively walked into the shadows and looked around, senses on high alert. All he was able to see was cluttered trash and the cracked cement. This view hammered down the fact that he had tried so hard to ignore, that it was completely unlikely that Levi would be here again. When he was here yesterday, he had run around in a feverish daze, and had no idea where his feet had taken him. But the only thought that had driven him these last few hours was that he had to come back here. He had to find Levi. The alleyway remained devastatingly empty, and Eren’s own stupidity began to bite at him. He almost turned around and bitterly headed back to the bus stop. Torn by indecision, he stayed put.

“Hey. What part of ‘lay the fuck off’ did you not understand?” A sharp voice from around the nearest corner reached Eren’s ears and he whipped around eagerly. Levi, once again garbed in all black, slouched around the corner, glaring Eren down. Eren’s eagerness at Levi’s appearance and usually indomitable spirit wilted slightly under the cut of those steel eyes.

“Hey, Levi.” Eren said, his earlier nervousness was nothing compared to the way his heart was vibrating now.

“You really are a dumb kid, aren’t you?” Levi said, a sigh flitting into his tone. Eren frowned a little.

“Good to see you too.”

“I believe I told you to stay the hell out of these alleys and away from me. I fail to see why I should be overjoyed at your presence.”

“But-“

“No buts kid, go home.”

“No.”

“What?”

“Well, I mean- the bus is gone and I don’t remember how to get back through the alleys, so…” Eren tried to cover up his defiance with excuses. Levi simply continued to glare at him silently. Eren willed himself to stay still. The look Levi was giving him was enthralling, but it also gave him the compulsion to run and hide. Levi took a deep breath, held it as if to stop words from escaping, then let it out in a short, harsh sigh.

“Don’t blame me if you fuck yourself over.” He finally said. Eren brightened instantly. That was probably going to be the closest thing to acceptance he would get at this point. It was at the very least a kind of forgiveness for his presence.

“I’m glad you were here.” Eren dared.

“You’re lucky I was. What would you have done if I wasn’t?”

“Probably headed back to the bus stop.”

“I wouldn’t choose that bus stop as one to loiter at.”

“Why not?”

“Think about it.” Eren tilted his head, genuinely trying to think.

“I think its fine.”

“I can’t tell if you are clueless or over-confident. Probably both.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“That remains to be seen.” The conversation lapsed into an awkward silence. Eren had no idea what to say. Their conversation seemed so dissonant; they were pushing back on each other until they finally burst apart. Obviously Eren’s usual headstrong persistence wasn’t breaking any walls. It was just giving him a headache and a further realization of how strong the walls were. He fidgeted nervously, avoiding Levi’s gaze.

“Good Lord you’re twitchy.” Levi said, causing Eren to snap to attention. Levi snorted. “Calm down kid. So you said you’re eighteen, right? You going to college?” Eren was completely shocked. For Levi to ask about _him_ was quite different than what he had been expecting. He gaped for a minute before he remembered he should answer.

“Ye- yeah. I just started at Maria University.”

“Hm.”

“Did you go to college?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

“Careful, brat.” Eren pouted at this answer. “Family?” Levi continued.

“Why do you get to ask questions?”

“Do you have family?”

“That’s not fair.”

“Life’s not fair. Tough shit.”

“Ugh. Yes. Foster sister.”

“That’s it?”

“My mom died. The old man is never around.” Levi’s expression changed slightly at that.

“That’s rough.” Levi said lowly. Eren’s heart panged, unsure what to make of those words.

“Well… Honestly I’m used to it; at least I have my sister.”

“Idiot. You don’t get used to things like that.” Eren’s breath caught in his throat. It was a blunt, mysterious statement, and he hoped he had caught a hint of caring in Levi’s tone. He tried to say something, but couldn’t get anything out. Awkward silence number two. This time though, Eren was determined to be the one to break it. So he said the first words that jumped into his mouth.

“I had a weird dream last night.” He then mentally smacked himself for his rushed and entirely out of place statement. It had been nagging him, sure, but he hadn’t intended to tell Levi.

“Oh really? And you are telling me because….?”

“Because you- I mean, because I think it has something to do with my déjà-vu.”

“And you want to make me your personal psychologist? Talk to your sister for shit like that. It’s not my business.”

“I can’t talk to Mikasa, she’s way too overprotective. And it’s kind of your business isn’t it? I mean, I feel like I know you, and you were in my dreams, so…” _Shit_. He had definitely had _not_ meant to say that. He zeroed in on Levi’s expression and instinctively took a step back. Levi’s face was frozen in a mildly shocked expression.

“First you faint upon seeing me and then you start having dreams about me? Are you quite sure you weren’t a princess in your past life?”

“I wasn’t.” Eren grumbled.

“Well the other option is that you are in love with me.” Levi’s tone was completely deadpan, but Eren jumped and felt his face heat up.

“That’s not it!” Probably.

“So, you’re venting your insanity on me because you think I’m involved. Fine. I’ll throw you a bone. What happened in your dream of me, princess?” Eren growled in embarrassment, not willing to admit how much Levi’s statement had worked him up. The princess one of course. Definitely not the love thing.

“Well, I’ve actually had two dreams with you in them.” Levi raised an eyebrow, but Eren ignored it and continued, red-faced, “One was really peaceful, we were just sitting under a tree, but it looked like we were wearing some kind of military uniform with a cape. There was an enormous wall in the distance. In the other one, I was chained up in a cell, and you were on the other side with a large blond guy…” Eren trailed off. He thought he’d had another vision of Levi, but he couldn’t remember what. Levi was watching Eren carefully, and Eren was far from used to his piercing gaze.

“Huh. I was expecting something else, honestly.”

“Like what?”

“Oh, something more erotic, maybe? To suit your raging teenage hormones? But nope, you are just fucking strange. Though, it does seem like I had you chained up. Didn’t think you were into that kind of thing.”

“Can we not make my dreams sexual?” Eren groaned.

“That depends. What do you think they are?”

“I don’t know. That’s the problem. I’m trying to figure it out. They… line up too well to be normal random dreams. I used to have them a lot as a kid, and I don’t remember the specifics, but I remember they were almost like a story. Normal dreams don’t do that.”

“Surprisingly smart observation, coming from you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Eren snapped.

“It means that it’s pretty obvious to everyone that you aren’t the brightest crayon in the box.”

“-!” Eren opened his mouth to growl out a retort, but it was drowned out, by the growling of his stomach. Eren clamped his mouth shut, and once again felt his face rise in temperature. Levi raised an eyebrow and the shadow of a smirk played on his lips.

“Hiding a baby tiger under your shirt, Jeager?”

“… I haven’t had lunch.”

“That much is obvious.” Levi snorted. Eren tried to laugh off his shame. Levi sighed, then looked Eren in the eye. “Whether it’s lucky or unlucky I suppose we’ll find out, but I haven’t eaten either. Since you seem so determined to stalk me, you may as well come along. I know a close place we can go eat. “ Levi turned on his heel and walked away, and Eren was unable to move for a long moment, but a smile slowly spread across his face and he practically jumped into step behind Levi. Levi didn’t look back, and simply traversed the shadows of the buildings, his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans.

“Are you sure it’s okay?” Eren asked hesitantly.

“Shut up kid. Don’t make me change my mind.” Eren immediately shut his mouth, unwilling to let it ruin his chance. The streams of light from the midday sun in the alleys began to dim, and Eren looked up to see a thick layer of clouds starting to shadow the sun.  The piercings on Levi’s ear gave one final glitter before the sky turned completely overcast.

“Think it will rain?” Eren mused. Levi looked up at the sky and Eren’s eyes were drawn to his shadowed profile.

“Maybe. I wouldn’t mind. I like rain.” Levi said quietly. Eren’s heart flopped at this new tidbit of information.

“Why do you like rain?” He ventured.

“It’s clean, for one thing. It’s like nature’s shower. But it’s also captivating. It drowns out the entire world around you, drawing it into a strange silence. Everything goes quiet except for the sound of a million water drops falling. It’s almost like the world stops moving forward for awhile, just to listen.”

“That… was kinda poetic.” Eren said with wide eyes.

“Hmph. You asked, I answered. Don’t get used to it.” Levi turned his head again, signaling the end of the conversation. It was silent, but this time it was a comfortable silence. Eren simply followed Levi through the maze-like backstreets of the city, just as he had yesterday. The sky continued to darken, almost guaranteeing rainfall. Eren was going to comment on it again, but Levi suddenly stopped short and Eren almost tripped over himself trying not to collide with him.

“Well, well.” A slick voice sneered. Eren searched for the source and saw four figures round the nearest corner. “Look who we have here.” The voice continued, and Eren saw it belonged to a tall, greasy blond man in baggy jeans and an oversized hoodie. The others were dressed much in the same manner, and were equal parts lanky and stocky. They all bore similar bandannas and the same sunken, yet bright and beady eyes. A sinister smirk plastered their faces, except one, who looked like he was giving a haggard death glare to the world in general. One of the short, stocky men laughed and waved his hand mockingly.

“If it isn’t Levi, the head prick himself.”

“What the fuck do you small fries want?” Levi said, moving in front of Eren.

“Oh we just wanted to talk.” Another one of the men said.

“About?”

“About this new bitch you have following you around.” The blond man spat out this remark, and all four gazes turned to Eren, who was rooted to the spot. Levi extended an arm to shield Eren, and Eren looked back and forth confusedly.

“This brat has nothing to do with me. He wandered into the wrong place is all. He’s not from _around_ _here_.”

“Bullshit. He was seen coming out of the Sunshine motel with you yesterday, and now here he is again.”

“Even if that were true, you guys have a lot of balls to confront me about it. You obviously want to be fucked up pretty bad.”

“I don’t know about that. It seems like the one being fucked is you. By this green-eyed boy no less.” The initial shock had given way, and rage was beginning to boil up in Eren’s veins. Who were these fuckers? He took a step forward but was stopped by Levi’s arm.

“I still haven’t heard why you’re here.” Levi snarled.

“You messed up, Levi. The lone wolf protecting a brat? That’s not like you at all. I’ve heard of you leaving your comrades for dead. What’s so special about this little whore, hm?” Eren was shaking in anger by this point, but Levi was perfectly still, as if a frost had settled on him.

“Enough with the bullshit.” He said, “You have thirty seconds to get the fuck out of my sight.”

“Not happening. There is no way we’d miss a chance like this. We’ve caught you with your pants down. I bet we’d be rewarded big time if we messed up a cocksucker like you. Not kill you of course, you are worth far more than you should be.” A red mist had settled over Eren’s eyes, and he threw Levi’s arm out of the way, dashing forward and landing a hard punch on the blonde’s face. The man staggered back after a crunch rent the air and blood spurt out of his mouth. The next seconds seemed like slow motion as the blond fell to the ground and realization dawned on the other thugs’ faces. Eren stumbled a bit from the momentum of the attack, and the three others took that chance to leap forward.

“You motherfucker!” One of them yelled, and it was like the trigger that burst everything back into real time. Suddenly three vicious figures were rushing at Eren with rage in their eyes. A fist was raised. Eren threw his arms over his head. The fist swung down. A long-fingered hand caught it and twisted it around at the wrist. A crack. Then the body was lifted into the air and sailed over a small, black shoulder. The body hit the ground with a dull thud about a yard away. Two men left. A sharp elbow connected with a nose, and a knee smashed punishingly into a gut. As one fell backwards a leg smashed into the back of their knees and they collapsed, earning a sickening kick to the ribcage. The other man had begun to double over and before he had a chance to straighten a foot hovered over the top of his head for a split second and crushed the face into the pavement. The screams of pain sounded delayed and distant as Eren looked up to see Levi standing over the three men on the ground, one boot still smashing the last man’s head into the ground. Eren looked up in awe at Levi, and moved to stand. Levi whipped around, glaring at something behind Eren.

“Eren!” He shouted. Suddenly a streak of pain lanced across Eren’s back and he felt a long line of skin split. Warm liquid cascaded down his spine and he turned to see the greasy blond man standing triumphantly behind Eren, a glinting knife dyed red in his hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger! *dodges brick* Finally we are getting somewhere! I'm getting twitchy though... I want to write fluff!! (and smut :P) But all good things in time! I hope you guys are enjoying this story! I'm certainly not confident about it. *Flies into sun*  
> See you next time!


	4. Blade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cut the deck  
> The queens left for dead  
> Soft and wet, scarf tied to the bed  
> Jack is all tragic when he stands alone  
> Feeling demonic harmonic in a no go zone  
> You look well suited like you came to win  
> Lust, spite and malice, your degrees of sin  
> Cruising for pity and looking pretty as fuck  
> Ace take your chances  
> Queen wish you luck
> 
> Spite and Malice, Placebo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! I'm so sorry for the late update. Its really late and I need to be getting to bed if I want more than a few hours sleep, but I needed to post this as soon as I finished it! Thanks for putting up with me, and please enjoy this chapter!

Eren collapsed to his knees and let out a strangled cry as pain burned between his shoulder blades. He glared back at the tall blond man, who was flicking Eren’s blood off of his blade.

“You bastard!” Eren yelled.

“Oh~ your little slut has some spirit, Levi.” The man said. Levi’s gaze could have shattered glass as he gave one final kick to one of the men on the ground, eliciting a muffled groan of pain. He turned to face the other man, glancing down at the streaming wound on Eren’s back.

“You fuckers are worse than I thought, messing up someone who’s not involved.”

“You’re still on about that? This little shit is hanging around you, which is bad enough, but then the twat thought he would lay me out.”

“What does that say about you, behind laid out by this ‘twat.’ Pretty pathetic really.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“You low life peons clearly need to learn a lesson. You’ll pay for fucking with me.” Levi’s voice was a low snarl, drawn out and dangerous. Eren instinctively cowered, glad that Levi’s fury wasn’t directed at him. The blond thug’s face contorted in rage, and he shook for a moment before charging at Levi with a yell, blade extended in front of him. Eren’s shoulder was grabbed and he was all but thrown out of the way. His cheek collided with the asphalt as he fell.

“Levi!” He screamed. Levi made no move to get out of the blade’s path, and Eren flinched as it went straight for Levi’s heart. When the blade was only inches from Levi’s chest, his hand snapped up and grasped the man’s wrist in a vice grasp. He leaned back with the leftover momentum, but his other arm flew up and connected hard with the other man’s elbow. It snapped upwards and bent the arm backwards. The man screamed and his hand went limp. Levi caught the knife as it fell and swung his leg around, smashing his shin into his attacker’s knee. It cracked at yet another limb was bent into an odd angle. The thug collapsed to the ground, Levi still clutching his wrist.

“Who messed up now, huh? Here’s a hint, it’s you, fuck face, for even entertaining the idea that you could take me on. I won’t kill you, now go back to whoever manages you mongrels and tell them that you dared make a move on me.” Levi let go and the man crumpled to the ground, sobbing. Levi moved to turn around, but stopped. “Oh, I almost forgot. This is for what you did to my ‘little slut.’” Levi turned around and in one swift movement, sank the thug’s blade in and out of the man’s leg. Eren covered his ears at the new shriek that pierced the air. Levi bent down and wiped the blade on the fallen man’s pants. He then walked over to Eren and held out a hand. Without meaning to, Eren recoiled slightly. Levi’s eyes narrowed.

“Can you stand?” He asked quietly.

“I- I think so.” Eren tried to stand up but his legs were weak and wobbly, and he just fell back to the ground.

“Tch. Wimp. Come on then.” Levi turned and squatted down, his arms extended out and his back towards Eren. “Get on. Though I swear to God Eren, if you get blood on me...” He didn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t need to. Eren hesitated for a moment, but wrapped his arms around Levi’s shoulders. Levi grabbed Eren’s thighs and stood up effortlessly, lifting Eren into a piggyback. The movement caused Eren’s still bleeding back to twinge, and he buried his face in Levi’s shoulder, hissing.

“You all right?” Levi asked.

“Yeah.” Eren gasped.

“Good. I’m going to take you to a place where we can get you patched up.”

“Okay.” Levi walked away from the unconscious bodies littering the ground, stooping down at one point to grab Eren’s backpack. Eren had no memory of dropping it. He had to tighten his grip from the sudden vertigo of the movement. Levi grunted, cautioning Eren to not hold on too tightly, and Eren relaxed a little. His head was still reeling from what had just occurred. He had been on his way to eat with Levi, ecstatic at their reunion, and now he was bleeding from the back, the painful moans of four men fading away. When they finally died out, Levi spoke again.

“Hey… Eren.”

“Huh?”

“Are you scared of me?” He asked slowly. Eren’s heart thumped loudly in his chest. The ice in Levi’s eyes had been terrifying, and his swift, fluid actions had resulted in so much pain. But was Eren scared _of_ him?

“No. I was shocked, but I understand why you did all that.”

“… You are an idiot. You really should be scared.”

“What was that anyway? Why were they after you?”

“…”

“I got tangled up in it too, I think I deserve to know.”

“You don’t _deserve_ anything, brat. But it’s true, you shouldn’t have been involved. The simple answer is that I have a lot of enemies. But in case you didn’t notice, I’m a little hard to beat. Those idiots thought that they could use you as some kind of weakness.”

“Why would they think that?”

“I’m usually alone. I’m not known to wander around with anyone. It’s more of a pain than it’s worth, as it causes little tussles like that. It’s always been easier to look out for just myself. They called me ‘lone wolf’ remember?” Levi’s tone lowered as he spoke, and his grip on Eren’s legs tightened slightly. Eren hummed a little as he absorbed this info.

“You know, you remind me more of a stray Tomcat than a lone wolf.” Levi snorted and Eren almost heard it as a laugh.

“You don’t know how right you are, kid.”

“Haha…” Eren couldn’t help but smile. His back was still throbbing, but for some reason his chest felt warm. He took the lull in conversation as a chance to bury his face in Levi’s shoulder again. Levi’s head moved as he glanced back at Eren, but he said nothing. Eren breathed in and out, slowly as not to agitate his injury. A scent began to fill his nose and tickle at his brain. It was a musky, complex scent, with a hint of something spicy and harsh. To Eren though, it was incredibly sweet. So this is what Levi smelled like. It numbed his brain and made him dizzy, but he didn’t want to lift his head. He closed his eyes and felt the swaying movement of Levi’s stride, drawn into a mesmerizing doze. He wondered vaguely why Levi smelled so good.

“Hey, Eren.” Levi said. Eren reluctantly lifted his head. The tall buildings were mostly gone, replaced by small shops. Just ahead was an old-looking bar. The sign at the front read “Wings of Freedom.”

“What is this place?”

“It’s a bar owned by someone I know. To some it’s a kind of headquarters I suppose. It’s safe anyway, we’ll patch you up here.”

“Okay.” They approached the bar and Levi let go of one leg to push in the wooden double doors.

“You here, Mike?” Levi called out.

“Of course. I’m always here.” A low voice answered. “I smell blood, what have you done now?” A tall man with dirty blond hair and scruffy facial hair stepped out from behind the dark wood bar. His eyes were piercing and he frowned slightly. For the second time that day, Eren was struck with a wave of déjà-vu. He saw Mike through the iron bars from his dream, along with the shape of a woman. He tightened his grip on Levi.

“I know this guy.” Eren whispered. Levi’s eyes widened curiously.

“Who’s the kid, Levi?”

“This is Eren, the kid that passed out yesterday.”

“And why is he bleeding in my bar today?”

“The dumbass thought it would be a good idea to follow me around like a puppy, and then we got jumped by some small frys.”

“And your clueless stray got in the way.” Mike’s eyes followed Levi and Eren as Levi pulled out a barstool and gently placed Eren on it.

“Basically. He’s got some fangs though. He laid the main guy out with one punch.”

“You sound a little impressed.” Mike smirked. Levi shrugged.

“He’s got a fire in him that most don’t.” Eren had no idea if that was a compliment or not, but his face flared red anyway. Mike and Levi turned to look at him, and Levi snorted. “As made obvious by the fire in his face.” Levi quipped. Eren hung his head slightly.

“You almost never get jumped Levi, especially by low-rankers, what happened?” Mike’s voice was deathly serious, and Levi was silent for a moment.

“Someone saw me with the kid yesterday at the motel, even though I was sure no one did, at least anyone who would remember by the next day. Apparently the info got around, so they kept tabs to see if he would show up again. They seem to think I found myself a love interest. So they tried to exploit it.”

“Levi…” Mike’s tone was laced with warning.

“You don’t need to tell me what I already know. Drop it. Now, this kid is still bleeding. Where’s Hanji?” _Hanji_? The name was familiar. Dungeon shadows played in the corners of Eren’s mind.

“She’s in the back, I’ll grab her.” Mike said, and disappeared behind the counter.

“Who’s Hanji?” Eren asked.

“Mutual friend. She’s a doctor of sorts. I want her to look at your injury. Normally I could take care of it, but I’m not sure if you need stitches and I don’t want to sew you up if you don’t need it.”

“…Thanks.” Eren said sheepishly. Levi hummed in response and it fell silent. Eren looked around the bar. It was mostly modern looking, but almost everything was made of dark wood. Rather than a dance floor there was a large stage with tables placed around it. The counter Eren was sitting on was immensely long, and he had never seen so many bottles, all filled with different kinds of alcohol. The pain in his back had lapsed into a dull burn, and the blood seemed like it had stopped flowing. Levi sat in a stool next to Eren and put his elbows on the counter behind him.

“That damn woman, she sure is taking her time. Maybe Mike caught her on the shitter.” Levi groused, tapping his foot impatiently. Eren laughed a little. He was exhausted, and everything felt fake and transient, like he was watching a movie and his brain was still trying to figure out what happened to the fourth wall. Images flashed through his head of Levi fighting the thugs, and his fluid but cruel and punishing blows, completely dominating the fight. As Eren had watched, he had a recollection of Levi fighting amongst massive amounts of steaming blood, only for some reason, it looked like he was flying.

“How did you learn to fight like that?” Eren asked.

“Necessity.” Levi answered shortly. Eren furrowed his brows in annoyance. He’d thought maybe Levi would be more open now, but evidently it took more than an attempted mugging. He was about to complain, but Mike appeared from the back, and was followed by a person-shaped blur. Eren jumped in shock as a face all but exploded into his vision. Thick glasses covered warm brown eyes, which were staring intently at Eren. Dark auburn hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, and a soft yet handsome face bore a slack, sly smile.

“So you’re Eren huh?” The woman said smoothly. Suddenly the blur across the bars filled out into the face of Hanji, also staring intensely.

“Squad… Leader… Hanji?” Eren blurted without thinking.

“Squad leader? You sure you didn’t hit your head or something? Never been one of those. Though I do like the ring to it.” Hanji laughed lightly and Eren tried to brush it off.

“Nothing, never mind.” Eren said quickly. He stole a glance at Levi, who was watching him carefully. Hanji took a large white box from Mike and placed it on the counter.

“Let’s take a look at that wound of yours, shall we? Now strip.”

“Huh?” Eren sputtered. Hanji quirked an eyebrow.

“Can’t clean it with a bloody and ripped shirt on now can I? Go on, take it off. Trust me, I’m a doctor. Sort of.” She laughed loudly at herself and Eren noticed Levi roll his eyes. Eren slowly began to peel off his shirt, hissing a little when the dried blood stuck to his skin, pulling at his cut. When he finally got it off, he looked around awkwardly, wondering what to do with it. Mike extended a hand.

“May as well trash it, it’s bloodied up and ripped to hell. I’ll take it.” Eren handed the shirt to Mike and suddenly felt nervous and exposed. Hanji plopped down in the barstool behind Eren and shifted him around so she could see his back. She whistled softly.

“That is a wicked cut. Does it still hurt?”

“A little.” Eren admitted.

“How does it hurt?” Hanji asked eagerly.

“Uh…”

“Just bandage him up already, four-eyes.” Levi snapped.

“Fine fine. Looks like it stopped bleeding for the most part. We’ll have to clean it up a little more to see how deep it is. I’m going to use alcohol Eren, it’s going to sting a bit.” Eren nodded and looked up to see Levi leaning across the counter fishing for something. He re-emerged with a glass bottle of amber liquid. Eren eyed it for a moment, nervous, and Levi smirked.

“Not this alcohol brat. This alcohol is for _my_ treatment.” A cold, wet cloth pressed to Eren’s back and he yelped at the stinging.

“This is _your_ treatment Eren, medical alcohol.” Hanji laughed. Eren grumbled in embarrassment as Hanji wiped away the blood that was no doubt painting most of his back. Levi had poured a small bit of the drink into a glass and was swirling it around, his hand gripping the top rim of the glass. He was still staring intently at Eren, but something felt different. The longer those steely eyes were fixed on him, the faster Eren’s heart beat. When Levi’s eyes ran over Eren’s exposed chest and abdomen, Eren’s face immediately burst into red.

“Stop that.” Eren said quietly.

“Stop what?” Levi retaliated, taking a casual sip of his drink.

“Looking… at me.”

“I’m just watching a stupid brat get bandaged up, where would you rather I look?”

“I… um…” Eren mumbled. Hanji, who had been humming as she worked, suddenly let out a burst of laughter.

“Stop flirting you two.” She lilted. Eren almost fell out of his chair as he flailed wildly.

“What?! We’re not-“

“He’s the one who assumed I was checking him out.” Levi droned, and Eren buried his face in his hands.

“Oh please Levi, you were looking at him like a piece of meat. He’s a good looking kid, look at this muscle tone.” Hanji poked Eren’s side and he squeaked in surprise. “Besides, it’s no secret that you’re about as straight as a spring.” Eren didn’t understand what that meant, and he looked at Hanji curiously.

“Huh?” Levi rattled of an irritated sigh and Hanji smirked triumphantly.

“Our little Levi is as gay as it gets, Eren. He wouldn’t go near a vagina if his life depended on it.” Eren’s face, which had just returned to a normal color, once again flushed a deep shade of red. He spluttered hopelessly, unable to form words. Levi growled and rolled his eyes again.

“Was it really necessary to out me to the kid, Hanji? I may be a dick hunter, but at least I’m still a man.”

“Are you really going to bring that up again, Levi? It’s been how many years? You are just mad ‘cause now you aren’t attracted to me anymore.”

“You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you?” Eren was once again unable to follow the conversation, and his head snapped from Levi to Hanji repeatedly.

“I don’t understand.” He interjected.

“How innocent is this kid, Levi?”

“Like a goddamn baby bird.” Levi sighed. Eren glared in mortified rage at Levi. Hanji just laughed again.

“It’s quite simple Eren. I was born a male. Never felt quite comfortable with it. A few years ago I was able to get my reassignment surgery and now I’m this smokin’ woman you see before you.” Hanji winked and Eren opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish. “Levi likes to give me shit about it whenever he gets a chance. Okay… You’re all cleaned up. I don’t think you’ll need stitches, it’s not as bad as it looks. We’ll slap some antiseptic cream on it and bandage it. Be careful when you move, try not to rip it open. You should heal up in a couple weeks.”

“Thanks a lot, Hanji.”

“No problem, as payment you can give me all the details on how it heals, okay?”

“Uh… sure.” Hanji swiftly wrapped Eren’s back in a white gauze bandage, slinging it over his shoulder a couple times. She pinned it neatly and clipped the extra.

“You’re good to go!” She exclaimed and slapped Eren’s back.

“Ow!” Eren yelled.

“Ahahaha… sorry.” She looked only mildly apologetic as she stood up and shut the first-aid box. Mike grabbed it and moved to turn away when Levi called out to him.

“Hey, Mike, you didn’t bag the stuff I left here a week ago, did you?” Mike turned around.

“No. I should’ve though. I don’t need your shit cluttering my back rooms. And stop drinking all my merchandise.”

“Whatever. Come on, Eren.” Levi downed the rest of his booze and stood up. Eren scrambled to join him, the stool scraping on the wood floor. He followed Levi around the back of the bar and through a corner door. It opened up into a surprisingly long hall with multiple doors off to the side. There was one other hallway that stretched to the left, and it was all dimly lit. It was a little cooler back here, and Eren’s bare skin shivered.

“What’s back here?” Eren asked, and his voice echoed slightly. Levi didn’t answer, but led him to a door a little ways down. He opened it and Eren peeked inside curiously. There were random items placed neatly on shelves that lined most of the room, mainly cleaning supplies. In one corner of the room there was a duffel bag, sleeping bag, and what looked like a packed-away cot. Levi flipped a light switch on the inside of the room and walked to the bag, rifling through it.

“Because I know you are wondering, I had to spend a couple nights here and I left some stuff behind. I figured you don’t want to wander around half-naked, so I’ll give you a shirt to wear.” He pulled a few items out, laying them on the ground. He tugged out a T-shirt and held it up to the light. It was, unsurprisingly, black.

“This should work. It’s a little big for me.” Levi glared dully at Eren as he said this, as if daring him to laugh. Eren kept his mouth shut tight and Levi snorted, tossing the shirt to Eren. He caught it and turned it over. There was a distorted white picture of rectangles, almost like piano keys, and the words “Black Flag” at the top. It was still a little stiff, likely having been worn only a few times.

“Is this a band?” Eren asked.

“Well done Sherlock. They’re a good group. The old stuff is much better though. Classic rebellion. Have you really not heard of them?”

“I don’t listen to much music, just what’s on the radio.”

“Hm. I bet if I played something you’d recognize it.” Eren pulled the shirt over his head and took the opportunity to breathe in the fabric. The same deep, spicy smell entered his nose and he smiled a bit before popping his head through the collar. It was a little tighter than he normally wore, but the length was good.

“Thanks. I’ll wash it and return it.”

“No need.” Levi shrugged. “I hardly wear it anyway and every bratty teenager needs a band t-shirt.” Eren visibly pouted at the “bratty teenager” remark and Levi raised a thin eyebrow. “Or I could take it back right now.”

“No, no! I’ll keep it. Thank you.” Eren grumbled. Levi huffed and closed up the duffel, replacing the items he had removed. Eren looked around awkwardly for a moment before drawing his attention back to Levi.

“Hanji and Mike seem like… nice people.” Eren said.

“If by ‘nice’ you mean ‘weird’, sure. Mike’s got a superhuman nose and Hanji is the closest you could get to a mad scientist. She loves experiments and everything about the human body. She would’ve done her surgery on herself if she could’ve. She had all of it recorded though. Gross.”

“Haha… oh so that’s why she asked me how I hurt and stuff. That was odd.”

“Mmhm. Still, they’re the closest thing to good people you’ll find around here.” Levi stood up and brushed off his pants.

“Levi…” Eren started. Levi looked up with sharp eyes.

“What?”

“I… Thank you… I guess… For saving me.” Eren finally said. A beat. Levi slowly walked toward Eren. Eren backed up a few steps, only to bump into the wall behind him. Levi drew closer and when he was only mere inches from Eren, reached out and gently grabbed his chin. A pulse from Eren’s heart leaped from his chest and bounced through his entire body. Levi brought his face close to Eren’s and turned Eren’s face to the left.

“Hm. You’ve got a bruise on your cheek. Did one of the guys land a hit?” Levi touched it softly and Eren shivered.

“N-No. I think it’s from when you pushed me out of the way. I didn’t catch myself and landed on the ground.”

“Ice it when you get the chance. Don’t thank me. I was saving my own ass too.”

“S-still. I would have gotten pretty beat up. I fight a lot because of my temper, but I’m pretty reckless.”

“Hmph. I noticed. Also I would consider your back being flayed in the category of ‘pretty beat up’ myself. Moral of the story, don’t lash out at stupid hooligans because they talked some shit about you.”

“It wasn’t… what they said about me.”

“Huh?”

“They… said really horrible stuff about you too. It pissed me off.”

“You don’t even know me. Why would that piss you off?” Levi turned Eren’s head back, forcing them to meet eyes.

“Just… it wasn’t fair.”

“Most of the shit they said about me was true anyways, no reason to flip out.”

“No it wasn’t.”

“You don’t know that, do you? You did just barely find out what they meant by ‘cocksucker.’” Eren bit his lip.

“I just…”

“Is this about your déjà-vu?” Eren dropped his eyes to the floor.

“I don’t know.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” A strange feeling was starting to build up in Eren. He was emotionally exhausted, and couldn’t put his thoughts in order. His blood felt like oil and water, and Levi’s last question shook it up.

“I don’t know!” He suddenly burst. “I’m still trying to figure this fucking nonsense out! I don’t know why I’m having these dreams, I don’t know what these feelings mean, I don’t know why I can’t stop thinking about you! I don’t fucking know!!” Eren had to catch his breath, unaware how loud he had been. Levi released his chin, and his head drooped. He didn’t want to look at Levi.

“Let’s get you home.” Levi said shortly, and began to walk out of the room. Eren’s head snapped up.

“Wait Levi!” He called out and tightly grabbed Levi’s arm with both hands. He was only able to hold on for a split second before Levi whirled around, twisted his arm out of Eren’s grip, and pinned Eren to the wall by his wrists.

“Don’t ever grab me like that again.” Levi snarled. Eren nodded, wide eyed. The anger in Levi’s eyes faded, and he shook his head apologetically. “I can’t help you Eren.” He said, much gentler.

“I think you’re the only one who can.”

“I doubt that. You hang around me and you’ll get hurt again. I warned you you’d get fucked over, and now look what happened.”

“I won’t. I promise I won’t be so stupid. I know what I have to deal with now. I know it’s my own damn fault.” Eren spoke quickly and fervently, scrambling for what felt like his last chance. Levi was quiet, obviously turning everything over in his mind.

“Ugh. Fine. You fucking neurotic.” Levi backed off and once again went to leave the room. Eren smiled and followed him eagerly. They walked the long hallway back into the bar and once again Hanji startled Eren by popping up at his side.

“Everything all right?” She asked. “Sounds like it got a little loud back there.”

“Fine. Just teaching the pup a lesson.” Levi drawled casually. Eren sulked indignantly.

“Aww how cute. Levi has a pet. Potty-train him properly, now.”

“Is there a reason I should put up with this?” Eren growled. Levi shrugged, making his way to the exit, and Hanji smiled widely.

“Leaving huh? It was good to meet you Eren, sorry Levi’s such a dick.” Mike nodded in agreement and Eren smiled.

“You too Hanji, Mike. Thanks for everything.” He noticed Levi had already reached the door and turned to follow him. He remembered to snag his backpack and rushed to the entrance.

“Don’t forget all the details on your injury, Eren!” Hanji shouted after Eren, who waved awkwardly. He exited the Wings of Freedom bar and found Levi leaning against the wall, lighting a cigarette.

“Come on then.” He said. “There’s a bus stop near here. I trust you at least know your bus routes better than last time.”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” The bus stop wasn’t far, maybe two blocks, and they walked in the usual silence. They reached the stop on the corner and the sky, which had been dark and bursting, finally released drops of rain from its clouds. Eren jogged to get into the weather covering, but Levi followed slowly. Eren smiled at Levi as he joined him. The rain had started to pour thickly, darkening the pavement. It was a warm, early September rain that raised a small mist of steam from the asphalt.

“It rained after all.” Eren observed. He had made it under cover without getting too damp, but Levi was in no rush, and water now dripped gently off his strands of black hair.

“No shit.”

“Looks like the next bus I can take home will be here in about ten minutes.” Eren said, peeking at the time table behind the seats. Levi stared silently at Eren, who glanced back nervously.

“…You’re far too naïve, you know that?” Levi finally said. Eren frowned.

“I wish you’d stop treating me like a kid. I’m 18 you know.”

“Age has nothing to do with maturity.”

“If it’s about what happened today, I’m fine.”

“No you’re not. You almost got yourself split in half. I also think that the term ‘tip of the iceberg’ applies here.”

“I need to figure out what is going on in my head, and I know you are an important part of that. You agreed to help me. I’m not backing out know.”

“How exactly am I supposed to help you?”

“I don’t know, talk to me. Let me be around you. Listen to me.” Eren was almost pleading now, and Levi sighed.

“Take this then.” He reached into his pocket and pulled something out, extending his arm towards Eren. Eren held out his hand and something heavy dropped into his palm. It was the thug’s knife. Eren’s heart beat painfully. Levi had cleaned it thoroughly, but Eren could still almost see his own blood on the blade. The dark wood handle weighed his palm down, and he fought the urge to drop it.

“…Why?”

“For protection. Not a bad reminder either, as it happens. It’s a surprisingly good knife. Folded alloy steel and spring assisted. There is a lock on the back so you don’t accidentally slice your own ass off. Fiddle with it occasionally, get used to how it feels in your hand.”

“I’ve… never had a weapon before.”

“Hopefully you’ll never need to use it. Do you have a cell phone?”

“No?” Eren was a little thrown off by the change of topic.

“What kid these days doesn’t have a cell phone?”

“…We’re a little tight on money…”

“Right. No parents. Sorry. Well, let’s make your first psych appointment for the day after tomorrow. Come to the bar when you’re done with school.”

“Why not tomorrow?” Eren asked. Levi raised both his eyebrows.

“I have business to take care of. I hope you can maintain your sanity that long.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll try not to go crazy.” Eren laughed. He put the knife in his back pocket, but suddenly it snapped open, the sharp edge barely missing his hand. Eren shouted in surprise, dropping it.

“… Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Keep the lock on dumbass.”

“Hehe… ooops.” Eren bent to pick the knife up and closed it, flipping the safety switch. As he straightened out, a long index finger hooked under his chin. Eren allowed his head to be lifted and his eyes met Levi’s. Eren thought dimly that Levi’s eyes exactly matched the rolling rainclouds in the sky.

“Let’s see if we can’t figure out one of your problems right now.” Levi murmured, leaning in. Eren was struck dumb with shock as he was met with a gentle kiss. It was chaste, with the lightest amount of pressure, but it was warm. Eren could smell Levi’s musky spice and the warm rain as Levi’s lips moved ever so slightly against his. He could only stand there, stunned. An electric heat rose from his stomach to his face, and he trembled slightly. Levi backed off slowly. Eren had no idea how long the kiss had been and suddenly regretted that it was over. The roar and hiss of the bus pulling up barely registered in his foggy mind. Eren almost thought he saw the shadow of a smirk as Levi turned away.

“Be careful, Eren. See you later.” He said quietly as he walked back into the sheet of rain. Eren backed numbly onto the bus, just staring after Levi until an impatient grunt from the driver made him fumble for his wallet, scan his card and collapse into the seat. Eren stared as long as he could after the figure of Levi until it disappeared into the mist.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some fluff!! ~<3  
> I had no idea I was such a flippin sap.... *flails* a kiss in the rain? REALLY?? (I guess technically they were under cover but STILL) my cynical heart is being overtaken by sweetness! HALP. From now on you can expect their relationship to get closer *wink wink* Also its not going to be this romantic the whole time... sorry. 
> 
> I'm still trying to decide how dark and fucked up Levi is going to be... I mean obviously his way of life is messed up... (you have no idea yet buahaha) but how twisted should LEVI be? Hmmm. I want to do super twisted but I don't want to put people off... and I'd like to remain in character as possible. WHAT DO YOU THINK? TELL ME. 
> 
> I Sincerely hope you enjoyed! Comments and Kudos are SUPER APPRECIATED. I LOVE ALL OF YOU. I will try my best to update quickly, but finals are coming and I'm SCARED guys. I'm gonna die. (I'll shut up now)  
> See you next time!
> 
> UPDATE: I DID NOT DROP THIS FIC. I KNOW ITS BEEN A REALLY LONG TIME AND I AM SO SORRY. THE LAST MONTH HAS BEEN CRAZY FOR ME. I GOT SICK RIGHT AFTER FINALS AND ENDED UP GETTING HOSPITALIZED WITH PNEUMONIA, WHICH TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO GET OVER AND I'M STILL TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH WORK AND THE NEW SEMESTER. I'M REALLY CLOSE TO BEING DONE WITH THE NEW CHAPTER AND WILL GET IT UP ASAP. THANKS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME, AND AGAIN I'M SORRY FOR MAKING YOU WAIT. I LOVE MY READERS AND I'M SO GLAD THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO READ AND ENJOY MY FIC. SEE YOU SOON!


	5. Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's in your reach  
> Concentrate  
> It's in your reach  
> Concentrate  
> If you deny this  
> Then it's your fault  
> That God's in Crisis  
> He's over
> 
> Every time I rise I see you falling  
> Can you find me space inside your bleeding heart  
> Every time I rise I see you falling  
> Can you find me space, find me space
> 
> Passive Aggressive, Placebo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! It's finally here! After almost two whole months, I have finally updated. I'm really sorry about the delay, if you are interested in my reason/excuses, take a look at the end notes of the last chapter. Basically the past month was just a clusterfuck of badness. Thanks for your continued support! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> Fair warning, this chapter has a ton of dialogue, and is mainly a development chapter. I was experimenting with perspective, character development, voice and that yada schmada through dialogue, particularly Eren and his perceptions, so tell me what you think, please!

“So I’ve been looking at various books and theories about dreams, and other than some basic neuro-science, it’s still mostly a mystery what dreams really _are_ and… Eren, are you listening?” The babbling voice of Armin sounded like a buzz in Eren’s ear as he laid on the bed in Armin’s room, his head hanging over the edge. He tuned back in when he heard his name.

“Huh? Oh, sorry Armin, I was distracted.”

“It’s fine, but didn’t you want to talk to me about your dreams?”

“Well, yeah… but…” Eren sighed. He’d followed Armin home after classes, desperate to talk to somebody. Armin had been happy to oblige, much to Eren’s relief, but the results on Armin’s research was the last thing on his mind. He unconsciously raised his hand to touch his lips, but stopped when he saw Armin’s concerned look.

“What’s wrong Eren?”

“Well… Ugh it’s hard to say.” Eren groaned, rolling onto his stomach.

“Obviously you wanted to talk about something, what’s going on? Is it related to your dreams?”

“Kind of…”

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it, but I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.”

“I know… Just…” Eren had to work himself up to the inevitable next statement, “Armin, how do you know if you’re gay?”

“Huh?” Armin leaned back in surprise. Eren sat up on the bed and buried his face in his hands.

“Ugh. Never mind. It’s fine. Let’s drop it.”

“No-no It’s fine! I was just surprised is all. I think you _need_ to talk about it, right? Why would you ask that?”

“It’s… a long story.”

“I’m here to listen.”

“Okay… but- you have to swear to me that not a word of this gets to Mikasa. Promise me.”

“Sure, but why?”

“Just promise me.”

“Okay, okay. I promise. Now what happened?”

“Remember how on the first day of class we all went to get lunch and then you walked me to the bus stop? Well I accidentally got on the wrong bus and ended up in the ghetto.”

“What does that have to do with being gay?”

“I’m getting there! I had a weird déjà-vu feeling that made me run off the bus and into the alleys, and I got lost. I had this weird feeling like I just supposed to find something, so I kept walking around, suddenly I turned the corner and there was a man standing there, and when I saw him I fainted.”

“What? Why?”

“It was like I got smacked with a two-by-four of emotion; seriously, it was pathetic. But that guy okay? He carried me to a motel and stayed with me until I woke up.”

“Seriously? How long were you out?”

“Like two hours apparently. While I was sleeping I had a memory-like dream about him. When I woke up I suddenly know his name. I told him I knew his name and he pinned me down and held a knife to my throat. God it was scary. He hovered over me until I told him how I knew his name and then he backed off.”

“What is his name?”

“Levi. He’s short and dresses kind of punkish or gothic. He’s also…” Eren trailed off, hoping his face wasn’t red.

“What?” Armin pressed.

“Nothing. He smokes and always looks indifferent and grumpy. He’s really intimidating too, but I guess that’s obvious. At the same time though, he was nice to me. I mean he was rude and constantly made fun of me, but he helped me get home. He’s so mysterious and almost contradictory in some ways. Whenever I asked questions he would either answer or threaten me. Anyway, I had a lot of visions and déjà-vu feelings and I decided I just had to see him again, so yesterday I went to the same alleyway to find him. I did, and he wasn’t very happy to see me, but he let me hang around and we were going to get lunch when…” A shock of remnant fear rippled through Eren slightly. Armin waited a beat.

“When what?”

“We… got jumped by gang members or something.”

“What?!”

“Yeah, they knew Levi and wanted to hurt him. They said some really bad things and I got pissed and punched one of them.”

“God Eren, you and your temper.”

“I know, I know… It gets worse later. But get this Armin, Levi protected me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. They came after me after I slugged the leader and Levi jumped between us and completely laid three guys out without getting a scratch.”

“Wow…”

“Yeah it was amazing, seriously. But remember how I told you it gets worse? The leader snuck up behind me and… slashed my back with a knife.” Rather than replying, Armin leaped onto the bed behind Eren and lifted his shirt, revealing the bandage underneath, that Eren had somewhat shoddily re-applied. Eren felt Armin’s hands shaking.

“Oh my God… Eren… you… you idiot.”

“Yeah… sorry.” Eren didn’t know what else to say. He had tried not to make too big of a deal of it when he spoke, but of course Armin would be worried. He felt guilty for the shaking hands that were gently touching the bandage.

“Does it hurt? How bad is it?”

“It aches sometimes. It wasn’t deep enough to need stitches, it’s just long and freaky-looking. It stretches from shoulder to shoulder. I guess I’m lucky the punk wasn’t very skilled.”

“Eren…”

“Its fine, really.  But after that happened, Levi was really furious and kicked the shit out of him. He even stabbed him in the leg. I couldn’t help but cower at how terrifying he was, even though he was protecting me. Then he carried me to a bar that his… friends I guess?- owned, and bandaged me up and everything, gave me a new shirt and walked me to the bus stop.”

“This is crazy, Eren.”

“I know… but it’s not over.”

“What happened?”

“At the bus stop Levi… he… kissed me.”

“…What?” Armin dropped Eren’s shirt and stared, wide-eyed. Eren collapsed onto his side and curled up in a ball, once again burying his face in his hands.

“He kissed me right before he left!”

“What? Why?”

“I don’t know! It was so sudden, we were talking, I dropped a knife, and as soon as I stoop up he grabbed my chin and kissed me!”

“That… makes no sense… Did he say anything?”

“You mean right before? He said ‘let’s see if we can’t fix one of your problems right now.’”

“What do you think he meant?”

“I have no idea, I’ve told him about my déjà-vu and stuff, so maybe it’s about that?”

“Hmm. Eren, is Levi gay?” Armin asked. Eren blushed and Armin raised an eyebrow.

“Yes… One of his friends told me and he admitted to it.”

“Well I think we’ve finally reached the point of your question. Your scary, dangerous, somehow nice déjà-vu savior is gay, he kissed you, now you’re wondering if _you’re_ gay.”

“Wh- What!? Who said we were talking about _me_ being gay?” Eren sputtered. Armin sighed.

“Oh please, Eren. With the story you just told me, it’s obvious. I’m not even going to mention your reactions.” Eren groaned.

“Fine. Yes, me. I want to know how to tell if I’m a goddamn homo.”

“Eren…”

“Sorry.” Eren sighed, “I’m just so confused about everything.”

“Of course you are, who wouldn’t be in your situation? Let me you then, how _do_ you feel about Levi?”

“Ugh. I don’t know. He seems important to my déjà-vu, he always feels different than my other familiars. I have every reason to be scared of him and never want to see him again, but that’s not the case. I almost _need_ to see him again, and while he is scary, I’m not really scared _of_ him. I just don’t think he would hurt me. Whenever he is nice to me or allows me to be around I’m really happy. Even when he insults me I don’t really mind. I mean it irritates me, but I guess I’m just happy that he talks to me? Ugh that sounds terrible. I don’t know.” As Eren huffed, Armin was wearing a sympathetic but unmistakably sardonic grin.

“Maybe we’ll work that part out later. My next question, are you attracted to him?”

“Um- well, I mean- It’s not…" Eren waved is hands in a fluster. "Yes. Yes I am attracted to him.” Eren bit out the last part as if he wanted it to vanish without being heard, if saying it as quickly as possible would make it  more forgettable.

“In what way?” Armin pressed. Eren was sure Armin had no ill intentions, but Eren felt like he was being cornered, forced into saying things he wasn’t ready to admit. But his burning face told him they were true.

“Well, he has a kind of scary face, but at the same time it’s just _pretty_. His eyes are this sharp steel color that reminds me of storm clouds. They are so mysterious and deep, and every time I look at them I get nervous. He’s super strong and muscular, and always wears tight black clothes that bring out his body. And even though he is shorter than me he just has these _legs_ …” Eren faded out, realizing everything he had just said. Out loud. He hadn’t realized until this moment how closely he had been examining Levi. This realization shot straight to his heart and his body flared in embarrassment. He looked cautiously at Armin, who was staring at him with what could only be described as a shit-eating grin.

“What?” Eren growled.

“Oh Eren. I think you just answered your own question.” Armin sighed, shaking his head.

“I’m not gay! I mean I can’t be, right? I’ve never been interested in guys before!”

“Maybe, but you haven’t exactly been interested in girls wither.” Armin pointed out. Eren collapsed onto the bed again, finding comfort in smashing his face into the springy surface.

“I’m terrible, aren’t I, Armin? Making it all the way to college without ever really having a ‘thing’ for someone…”

“You said it, not me.”

“Even if I do have a ‘thing’ for Levi, it doesn’t make  anything less complicated.”

“If anything it probably complicates it more.”

“And I still don’t know why he kissed me.”

“How did you feel when he kissed you?”

“Shocked. Confused. A little numb. But I didn’t want it to stop.”

“It wasn’t… a deep kiss was it?”

“Oh God no. I probably would have died. It was like a really long peck, though honestly I don’t know how long it was.”

“Hmm. It is weird but he doesn’t seem like the type who would just kiss you randomly. What was it you said you dropped?”

“A knife. Levi gave it to me.” Eren pulled the thug’s- no _his_ \- knife out of his pocket and showed Armin. Armin reached out his hand to look at it. “It used to belong to the thug who slashed me. It’s also the one Levi used to stab him in the leg.” Armin’s hand stopped, hesitating.

“Why did he give it to you?” Armin asked quietly.

“He said it was for protection, and that ‘it wasn’t a bad reminder either.’”

“Reminder of what?”

“Probably of how dangerous it is to be around him. He’s warned me before, and it’s pretty obvious that he’s mixed up in some sketchy things. I really don’t think he is a bad person though.”

“You sure know how to pick them, don’t you?”

“Oh shut up. But do you see why Mikasa can’t know?”

“Yeah I get it, but you can’t keep this from her forever.”

“I know. I’ll tell her eventually, but I want to sort things out before I tell her. She’ll be pissed anyway so I’m hoping to be able to tell her in a way where she’ll be _less_ pissed.”

“Eren…”

“Oh don’t give me that look.” Eren rolled onto his back and glanced at Armin’s bedside alarm clock. It read 6:15. He sat up quickly.

“Shit!” He exclaimed.

“What?” Armin asked worriedly.

“Mikasa was going to be home for dinner and it’s my turn to make it!” He leaped off the bed and grabbed his backpack, slipping his shoes on.

“Sorry Armin! I have to get going. She’ll be mad if I miss my turn again. Thanks so much for talking to me.” Armin smiled and nodded.

“No problem. I’m happy to help. Keep me updated!”

“Sure!” Eren shouted back as he stepped out of Armin’s bedroom. He waved goodbye to Armin’s grandfather, who was reading in the kitchen. He let himself out and began the five-or-so minute walk back to his house. The September evenings were getting progressively chillier and Eren drew his body inward, wishing he had brought his hoodie. After his talk with Armin, the dark turmoil of emotions swirling in his chest had calmed somewhat, but he still felt the void of confusion in the center. He felt more comfortable with his questions, but they remained unanswered. What was Levi to him? Why had he come into Eren’s life? Why did Levi seem important? Why did he have memories of Levi? Why did Levi kiss him? And why, _why_ did it _matter_? Eren wasn’t even sure what he _wanted_ the answer to be. Did he want Levi’s kiss to mean something? The sneaking answer was yes, but if Eren accepted that, then it was to accept that he had some kind of feelings for Levi, and that meant he had to accept that he must, as a man, have feelings for another man, ergo, gay. Eren groaned for what felt like the hundredth time that day. He’d never seriously considered or experimented with his own sexuality. Something like that had never entered his sphere of what was important. He’d lived most of his life as a forced adult, in practice if not mentality. His parents had both left in their own manner by the time Eren and Mikasa had hit that age where romance and attraction were first starting to bud. Mikasa had only ever paid attention to Eren, ignoring the droves of suitors that followed her, and Eren had been too stubborn, too angry, and perhaps to oblivious to care. His life was fights and unsympathetic teachers. Love didn’t matter, survival did. It didn’t help that he was plagued by the confusing realm of memories and nightmares. He had been affected so much by this separate reality that he was exposed to he rarely gave a second thought to anyone outside of it. It was a little different now, since the memories had left him for a time. He spent those two years trying to create his own life, separate from his dreams, and he had considered himself successful. But they had crashed headfirst into his life again, with Levi leading the attack. He was being forced to consider and face things that he had not bothered with or even needed to consider before. But right now it felt like those thoughts were bouncing around his head like a ricocheting bullet, causing more destruction than clarity. He was grateful for Armin’s help. Armin had always been the one who he could talk to, and he knew Armin would never judge him, for anything. But this was all far from solved. He sighed as he approached his front door and unlocked it. He was relieved to find all the lights off; he had arrived home before Mikasa. He headed straight to the kitchen and fished around the cupboard. About all that was in there that he was able to make was Ramen and Mac’n’Cheese. They had some microwavable vegetable steam bags that Eren hated, but was forced to eat by Mikasa who insisted that they eat as healthy as possible, plus they were not too expensive and required minimal effort. Eren started a pot of boiling water, deciding on Mac’n’Cheese. As soon as he had clicked on the old-fashioned gas stove, Mikasa entered the house.

“Hey.” Eren called in her general direction. She didn’t answer and Eren looked around curiously. Mikasa was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. She was looking at Eren with an unmistakable expression of anger. It was her patented cool but sharp look, not red with passionate anger, but incensed nonetheless. Eren immediately started to apologize for what he thought was the issue.

“Sorry Mikasa, I know you were expecting to eat as soon as you got home, but I was at Armin’s and lost track of time…”

“Quiet Eren.” Mikasa said lowly. Eren shut his mouth.

“I’m not mad about that, I’m surprised you’re cooking at all actually.” Mikasa sighed. Eren’s mind immediately started running. What had he done? Did she find out about Levi? Did Armin tell her somehow?

“Annie came to see me at the coffee shop today.” Eren’s mind screeched to a halt.

“Huh? Is that a bad thing? You two hit it off didn’t you?”

“Yes, but that’s not the point. She mentioned that you picked up an application but never turned it in.” Mikasa’s eyes narrowed and Eren’s stomach turned.

“Oh. That.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit. Why didn’t you hand it in? Don’t tell me you forgot.”

“I didn’t!” That was only partially true. “I just didn’t see the point. The job required previous experience. Obviously, I don’t have any.” He growled as he spoke and Mikasa shook her head.

“Annie wondered if it was that. Turn in the application anyway, dumbass. According to Annie the owner is really chill. He’ll take anybody as long as they seem useful. One the same token he’ll get rid of you fast if you’re not. Annie had been turned down by a lot of places before.”

“Seriously? That sounds really weird…”

“Doesn’t matter, we need the money. I’m going to ask Annie tomorrow and if I hear you didn’t show up, so help me…”

“Fine, fine! I’ll do it okay?” Eren conceded indignantly. Mikasa’s face softened.

“Good. What’s for dinner?”

“The menu tonight is Mac’n’Cheese and microwave-steamed broccoli. And for desert is some fine off-brand cookie-dough ice cream.” Eren said with a sarcastic flourish as he flipped open the blue box of macaroni. Mikasa smiled slightly.

“Sounds good to me.” She said. The rest of the evening passed in relative peace, though Eren carefully avoided talking about things that had been going on “outside of school.” He filled in the application with the help of Mikasa and placed it in his backpack with a slight nervousness. Eren begrudgingly attempted his homework, which was mainly reading chapters from his textbooks, and soon gave up entirely when the words came nowhere near his brain. He yawned and told Mikasa he was going to bed, when a thought struck him that made him race to his room before Mikasa noticed his expression.

_I’m going to see Levi tomorrow._ His “appointment” as Levi had called it, was at the Wings of Freedom bar after school.

“Shit.” Eren muttered. He was overcome by sudden anxiety and excitement. What was he going to say to him? Their meeting was under the premise of figuring out the web of memories and sensations that were affecting him, but Eren now had an entirely different issue that he was dying to resolve, but didn’t exactly want to confront Levi directly about. Well, he wanted to, but he was scared; scared of Levi’s reaction, scared of the answers, scared of his reaction to those answers.  “Augh. Goddammit I’m such a wimp.” He grumbled. He changed his clothes and brushed his teeth in an unnecessarily angry manner, and collapsed into bed. “Oh fuck it. I’m going to at least ask him what the kiss was about.” He murmured into his pillow. That was the issue that was eating at him more than he would admit. Whenever he considered what it could have meant, he felt two emotions creeping into the corners of his heart. Anticipation and pain. It hurt to think that it was meaningless, or maybe it hurt to think that it wasn’t the meaning he wanted. Not that he knew what he wanted. Or maybe he did know, he just didn’t want to admit it. “Oh whatever. I can’t think about this right now.” He pulled his bed covers over his head and tried to halt his spinning mind. He eventually drifted into a fitful sleep. He dreamt about Levi, but when he woke up he couldn’t remember which Levi he saw.

 

* * *

 

The bell on the door of Titan Burger rang Eren’s presence for the third time. His goal today was to (finally) turn in his job application. He’d tried to look nice at Mikasa’s behest, and was wearing all his best clothes (which admittedly weren’t all that great). He was wearing a light blue graphic tee under a dark blue and black plaid button up that Mikasa had ironed, and relatively new dark gray slim jeans. His hair was stubborn as usual, but Mikasa had worked some minor magic on it. Annie was once again standing boredly at the counter and she looked up at the tinkling of the bell.

“Hey you finally showed up.” Annie said, her tone still sounding entirely disinterested.

“Yeah I brought the application.” Eren said, absently waving the papers in the air.

“Well, for better or worse, the manager is out. I guess I’ll call the assistant manager. Wait up here by the counter.”

“Sure, thanks.” Eren walked to the side of the counter and looked around. It was before lunch time so only a few people dotted the tables. Annie walked to a doorway that likely led to the back and stuck her head in, shouting.

“Hey ass-man! I need you up here!” Eren stared at her curiously, while a couple other people laughed.

“Goddammit Annie!” A loud male voice called back, “I told you to stop calling me that!” Annie just shrugged and returned to the counter. A figure stomped out of the back room and stopped behind Annie, arms crossed irritably. He was taller than Eren, with a relatively strong frame, dark dishwater blond hair with a darker, shorter layer visible. He had a long, angular face that reminded Eren of a horse. Then he realized he knew this horse face.

“Jean…” Eren said unintentionally.

“Hah?” Jean said, “do I know you?” Eren quickly shook his head.

“No sorry, I just…” Eren tried to cover his tracks. “ I was looking at your nametag.” Eren’s eyes swept to the little plastic tag on Jean’s chest, hoping it actually had Jean’s name on it, and not just a last name or position. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw “Jean” written out, and snickered when he saw below his name the obviously botched abbreviation “ass-man.” Jean glared daggers at Eren.

“Who the hell are you?” He snapped. Eren jumped, remembering why he was here in the first place.

“Sorry. I’m Eren, and I came to apply for your open position.” Eren cringed inwardly at how stiff he sounded.

“Ah, Annie mentioned someone was planning on applying. So that was you, huh?”

“Yeah that’s me.” Eren said, attempting a smile.

“Well, where’s the application?” Jean said impatiently. A prickly wave of anger rose in Eren. Who the fuck did this guy think he was? He was going to spit something back, but he sensed Mikasa’s wrath, as if she knew he was going to screw everything up with his famous temper.

“Here it is. Please pass it on to the manager. I hope you’ll consider me as an employee.” The words came out as planned, but they were tainted with a poisonous flavor as he practically shoved the application in Jean’s face. Jean took them quickly.

“I will give them to the owner. Fortunately for you, he makes the decisions. We’ll see if for some reason he thinks you are even a little useful.” Jean immediately turned around and haughtily walked into the back room, out of sight. Annie raised her eyebrows slightly.

“You two get along well.” She mused. Eren huffed.

“What a jerk. Thanks Annie, hopefully I’ll see you soon.” He turned and walked out as Annie waved, still bristling with irritation. He made it to the bus with plenty of time to spare. He had to switch one bus to get to the stop closest to the bar where he’d be meeting Levi. He tried to push down the flood of questions and possibilities he’d been fighting with the past few days. He was trying not to think about it, and was going for the Eren-patented instinctual and emotional barrel-roll. Whether or not this tactic was effective was a matter of opinion, but that’s just how Eren was. Then as he got on the bus and rolled toward his destination, Eren wondered if he should try to shut down his emotions as well, as his nervousness was practically making him vibrate off the seat. He hopped busses and finally arrived at the stop down the street from the Wings of Freedom. He stepped off the bus and was irritated to find himself hesitating. He spurred himself forward with a determined mortification. He was going to walk right into the bar and face Levi with confidence. Probably. Hopefully. By the time he reached his destination he had almost run out of his determined steam, and he opened the double doors slowly. He saw Levi sitting at the bar, sipping a clear liquid that if he wasn’t fully aware of the location, would have passed for water. Mike was across the counter with a clipboard, looking at the lines of bottles on his shelves. Levi was leaned back on the barstool, and his legs were crossed. Eren realized with a thrill that Levi was wearing leather pants. His heart beat loudly at the tight, slightly shiny fabric that was hugging the firm and lithe form of Levi’s intertwined legs. The pants were essentially entirely form-fitting, showing every contour and curve of the muscle underneath. A few zipper details dotted the otherwise pure black, velvety sculpture that was Levi’s limbs. Armin’s grin floated into Eren’s mind and his face heated up. It really was too obvious. Then Levi’s gaze flickered over to Eren, still standing in the doorway. Eren jumped as his heart leaped into his throat. He attempted an awkward smile and waved. Levi set his glass on the counter and swiveled around in the stool.

“You’re a little earlier than I expected. You skippin class? You shouldn’t be slacking off, kid.” As much as Eren tried to deny it, the fact was that Levi’s voice was smooth and thrilling, and having it directed at him made him undeniably titillated. He still pouted at the accusation as he walked over to the bar.

“I’m not slacking. All my classes are in the morning. Besides, you didn’t even go to college.”

“You and I are in completely different situations, brat. Don’t you have some kind of job?”

“No. But I did just turn in an application for one.”

“Is that why you obviously attempted to look put-together today?” Levi  took another sip of his drink as Eren settled into the stool beside him.

“That’s not a very nice way to say it.”

“Hey, I didn’t say you failed.”  Eren blushed at the (admittedly very roundabout) compliment and desperately searched for a new topic.

“What are you drinking?” He asked, glancing at the water-like substance.

“A new vodka that Mike wanted me to test out.”

“Hard liquor in the middle of the day? That can’t be a good habit.” Levi shrugged.

“There are worse ones. And naturally you are lecturing me from the perspective of someone who has a wealth of experience with alcohol.”

“Well I am underage.”

“Props to you for following the law like a good boy.” Eren pouted, about to tell Levi (again) that he wasn’t a child, when Mike turned around. Eren jumped. He had quite forgotten Mike was even there.

“So what do you think Levi?” Mike asked. Levi took another contemplative sip.

“I like it, it has a unique flavor that’s not too strong, but full, and it isn’t syrupy. I don’t know if it’d be good with anything other than tonic though.”

“I was worried about that. I snagged it because I liked the unique smell, but it might be hard to market if I can’t mix it with anything.”

“Want to give me the bottle and I can experiment?”

“Hmph. You just want a free bottle of booze.”

“I’ll take what I can get. I might find a good combo for you.”

“Sure, whatever.” Mike grabbed a bottle from behind the counter and dropped it in front of Levi. It was a squat, round, clear bottle with a flower pattern, evidently called Absolut Vodka: Wild Tea.

“Vodka comes in flavors?” Eren asked incredulously. Levi snorted.

“Vodka comes in almost any flavor you can think of, including PopTart, Fruit Loop, and Root Beer.”

“That sounds gross.”

“Vodka is easy to add flavor to, as it doesn’t have a strong flavor of its own. That’s why it’s the chosen drink for girls and wusses that want to get trashed on something that tastes good. I prefer whiskey or scotch myself.” Mike took the opportunity to jump in.

“You’ll drink whatever is placed in front of you, Levi.”

“Maybe, but I’ve got the experience to discern what’s good.”

“Only because you’ve tried everything, including the shit. Anyway, I’m off to get more stock, since someone drinks it all. If you leave, lock it up. And no enabling underage drinking in my bar, got it Levi?”

“Please, this brat looks like a lightweight. I don’t want to mess with that.” Mike snorted as he left and Eren bristled.

“What’s that mean?”

“It means I don’t want to deal with a drunk.”

“I wouldn’t get drunk.”

“You don’t know that, and I don’t want to be the one to find out.”

“Whatever.” The conversation died out awkwardly, and Eren fidgeted in his seat. Levi kicked back the rest of the vodka. He stared at the bottle in front of him, as if he was debating whether to pour more. The silence felt like it was squeezing on Eren, slowly pushing the questions inside of him out like toothpaste out of a tube. He tried to cap it, keeping his mouth shut as tightly as possible. His eyes gravitated to Levi, traveling from his boots, over his leather-sheathed legs (rather slowly), past his T-shirt and after taking in the glitter of his piercings, stopped short on his lips. He opened and closed his mouth, fighting with the pressure of the silence. Levi’s stormy eyes flicked to meet Eren’s and Eren immediately turned away, as if his beating heart had smacked his face aside.

“So…” Levi started. “Anymore weird dreams?” Eren stared at his hands on the counter. He didn’t want to talk about this. But he didn’t want to talk about _that_ either. Now that Mike was gone, Eren’s body was slowly becoming more aware of Levi’s presence. He was so nervous it felt like he was floating.

“Yeah, I had a dream last night, but I don’t remember what it was about.”

“Hm.” Silence again. Eren was about at his limit.

“Can I… ask you something?” Eren said. No taking it back now.

“I suppose you can.” Eren felt Levi’s gaze on him, and he wondered if Levi knew what he was going to ask.

“Why did you… kiss me?” Eren mumbled. He heard Levi take a deep breath in and out, almost like a sigh. Eren’s heart twanged painfully.

“What’s the answer you’re looking for?”

“The true one.”

“Do you remember what I said?”

“Something about figuring out my problems, but I don’t see how it connects.”

“I wanted to rule out a possibility.”

“What possibility?”

“Of you being in love with me.” At that statement, Eren’s heart dropped to the pit of his stomach, leaving a vacant feeling in his chest.

“What… do you mean?”

“You said the other day that you didn’t know what was going on, and you mentioned that you didn’t know why you were thinking about me. I wanted to test a theory out, maybe help you find an answer.” Levi gazed intently at Eren, who refused to look at him. Eren felt like the room was closing in on him, the color and the features of the things around him were swirling and fading.

“Is… that it?” Eren finally looked up at Levi. There was a long moment where they just looked into each other’s eyes, and then Levi opened his mouth.

“…Yeah.” Eren dropped his gaze to his knees and let out a wry laugh.

“I see. Well I found an answer. I was dumb to worry about it.” He clenched his fists. “I just remembered I have some homework I didn’t do, so I better go.” He stood up slowly and walked out. He waited for a moment, waiting for Levi to possibly say something or move from his seat. When he didn’t, Eren walked out of the bar, the double doors falling silently shut behind him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyy.... sorry no happy ending? ALL WILL BE WELL THOUGH, I PROMISE. I need to write the frickle frackle soon or I will explode. But I'm cynical and require proper (and sometimes backward?) development. Thanks so much for reading!
> 
> Please let me know what you thought! Good or bad! I welcome all criticism! It's like 2 in the morning and I has classes tomorrow so I'm going to bed without a thorough edit, I will do that next chance I get. 
> 
> Thanks again! I love you all!


	6. Claim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'll describe the way I feel  
> You're my new Achilles heel  
> Can this savior be for real  
> Or are you just my seventh seal?
> 
> No hesitation, no delay  
> You come on just like special K  
> Just like I swallowed half my stash  
> I never ever want to crash
> 
> Special K, Placebo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey my dear readers! I finally did it! And all in time for Eren's birthday! Yay! (Its 11:15pm where I am, so it counts :P) 
> 
> This is my absolute fave chapter so far, so I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for sticking with me despite the crazy gaps in-between updates. I have four weeks of the semester left and then I won't be being completely run ragged by all my classes. Then I can be free to write more! That said, don't expect anything during that period of time either :( I have loooootttsss of papers and tests. It might just happen, but I don't want you to have any possible hopes that could be completely crushed. (I like to think you guys hold your breath for my new chapters ehehehehe *brick thrown*)
> 
> Anyway, don't listen to me anymore, read!

The doors of the bar closed softly as Eren left, leaving Levi staring after him. He hadn’t missed the shock, the hurt, the _longing_ in Eren’s ocean eyes as Levi had told him what his kiss “meant.” He hadn’t missed the hesitation, practically begging Levi to stop him, to say something, _anything_. If Levi wasn’t sure of Eren’s feelings before, he certainly was now. As for Levi’s… Eren didn’t know everything. Levi’s gaze returned to the bottle of Aboslut on the counter, and he glanced between the bottle and his empty glass. There was a buzzing in his brain that he was dying to silence. It had been humming ever since he had woken up this morning. Now, after he had seen Eren, it had worsened. He sighed, placing his glass behind the counter. As much as he wanted to drown his unrest in the power of vodka, now was probably not a good time. He grabbed the bottle and stood up. He had no intention of hanging around and getting pestered by Mike when he got back, so he may as well do some “business” rounds in the neighborhood. Not wanting to be begged as a wandering alcoholic, (and potentially vulnerable) he stowed his bottle of vodka in his designated back room until he had a chance to go directly to his apartment. He locked up the bar and took to the streets. He headed along his usual path through the ghetto, avoiding roads and taking stock of the riff-raff meandering in the alleys. He didn’t have anything on him, so he essentially had no real reason for wandering around. But he knew for a fact that his buzzing brain wouldn’t cease if he hung around indoors. He tried to think about other things, but he was stuck in a kind of daze, and there was a pricking negative feeling rising in his heart as well as his head. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt confused, and dare he say, _guilty_. And it was all because of Eren. He sensed a presence behind him and swung around, hand going for the knife in his pocket. The path at his back looked entirely empty, until he heard a soft mewing from behind a trash can. A gray tortoiseshell cat slunk out from the shadows and padded out in front of Levi. Levi sighed and stooped down. How distracted was he to be put on guard because of a cat? He extended a hand and the cat came closer, seeking attention.

“What are you doing out here, huh?” Levi asked the cat absently. It rubbed its head on Levi’s fingers and when Levi went to scratch behind the ear, he felt the cord of a collar and heard the tinkling of a bell. “Looks like you’ve got a home, you don’t belong out here, you a runaway?” The cat simply purred in response and rubbed up against Levi’s leg. As the cat wound between his calves, something came to his mind, and he was irritated to find it was Eren’s voice.

_“You know… You remind me more of a stray tomcat.”_ Levi sighed. The gray cat looked up at him curiously, mewing for more scratches. Levi obliged, a furrow in his brow.

“He really doesn’t know how right he is. You and I are different in that sense, cat. You better get back to your home, you don’t want to live like me.” Despite Eren’s unassuming accuracy, Levi was by no means eager to allow Eren to learn more about him. Despite his best efforts however, Eren had successfully managed to wedge himself into Levi’s life. But it wasn’t just that. Eren had clearly fallen for Levi. He growled a little at the thought. He didn’t like annoying things, and love was the very definition of annoying. Normally, he’d have long since purged the source of his irritation. But in the case of Eren, all of his attempts at pushing him away had been admittedly very half-assed. He had become the personification of mixed signals, and he knew it. But what about now? It was entirely possible that Eren was sufficiently heart-broken to never appear before Levi again, which should be exactly what Levi wanted. At the same time however, Eren’s stubbornness might cause him to defy Levi again, which Levi wasn’t entirely opposed to, and that was exactly the problem. Eren, as annoying as he could sometimes be, was like a breath of fresh air, or dare he say it, a little ray of light in Levi’s dirty and dark world. He was a novelty, a paradox that Levi couldn’t figure out. How was it that a kid like him could be someone so emotionally pure and straightforward? Levi had effectively shit on Eren’s pure and simple desire for connection. Levi found himself curious as to how far that desire might go, and it was constantly poking at him. However, Eren’s presence hadn’t just caused unrest in Levi. Levi had allowed Eren to be around him, and even more, it became _known_ that Eren was around Levi. They had already faced reparations for that mistake. The entire underground had heard of Eren, and now thought that Levi had someone to take care of, someone who was a vulnerability. Levi now had to take precautionary measures. It would be better if Eren never showed up again, but by no means was he safe. Did he beat up everyone who mentioned Eren, warning them but proving he cared about the brat? Or did he feign indifference, possibly putting Eren in immediate danger? There was no shortage of people who would want to test Levi. Lost in his thoughts, the cat pushed its cold nose into Levi’s palm, chirping impatiently. Levi broke out of his reverie, and sighed again. He resumed petting the cat, when it suddenly hissed and darted behind Levi. Levi felt someone approaching him and looked up.

“Looks like you’ve gotten into a habit of picking up strays, huh Levi?” The slick voice that he heard was the same one that he so often heard through his phone, under the ID of “unknown caller.” The figure leaned against the wall around the corner. All Levi could see of him was dark, surprisingly clean jeans and a black hoodie underneath a grey blazer. A long silver chain poked out from the shadow of the hood, which was pulled over the man’s face. Levi growled.

“What the fuck do you want?”

“Nothing in particular, I saw you and thought I’d say hi.”

“Well you’ve made yourself known, now leave.”

“How rude. You really are antisocial. Except when it comes to stray cats and kids apparently.” Levi’s heart thrummed nervously, but he kept his disinterested face.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb Levi. Everyone knows about the green-eyed college boy you have as your pet.”

Levi sighed. Thanks to this prick, he didn’t have time to think about strategy. Whatever he told this guy would be spread everywhere. He had to think quick.

“I wouldn’t call him my pet really, more like stalker.”

“Pretty cute for a stalker. Seems you are pretty protective of him too, stabbing punks and all that. Have you fucked him yet?” Levi glared sharply at the man. He stood up, and the cat, evidently deciding that Levi wasn’t a good enough barrier anymore, scampered off, bell tinkling lightly.

“What’s it to you?” Levi’s voice was low and cold. A smirk played I the shadow of the hood.

“Guess not huh? Shame. Well if you’re pent up, I’d be happy to help you let loose. My fly is always open for you Levi.”  
“Like hell.” Levi snarled. The man sighed.

“You were so much more fun before, you know. You could still make a great living off that fine ass of yours. We made some pretty great deals back in the day.”

“Hmph. I don’t need to cater to horn-dogs like you anymore, thank God. Luckily for me, you were easy to please. I made up for the shitty experience with product.“ The smirk disappeared from the man’s face for a moment, but slowly returned.

“I bet your stalker would be a good lay. Since you two haven’t fucked, he’s probably a virgin with guys. I’d love to open up that tight little ass, turn him into a twink like you. He’d be popular for sure.” Whatever calm Levi had maintained thus far was launched completely out of the proverbial window. Cold rage was flooding his body.

“Don’t you dare touch him.” Levi hissed. He glared at the man, hackles raised, hand fingering his knife.

“Oh ho~ That got a good reaction. I’m not the only one that would like to rape that boy you know. You’ve generated quite the rumor, leading a beautiful and innocent lamb into a den of wolves. If you want to protect him, you better lay claim to him. As it stands, he is a piece of free meat.”

“You better watch yourself though, he’s a wolf too.”

“German shepherd maybe, he can bite, but he’s clearly domesticated. And he’s still a puppy. Don’t bluff; he can’t completely protect himself and you know it.”

“I will tear apart anyone that even tries to lay a finger on him.”

“You better put a collar on him then. What is it about this boy Levi? You’ve never been territorial of anybody. It’d be fine if you were just interested in his body, no one can blame you for that. But you are protecting him. You pretend not to care, but even now you are eating those words. What’s so special about him, hmm?”

“None of your fucking business.” Levi was done talking to this freak; he began to walk away, spitting  back, “don’t you even go near him. I don’t give a shit about the deals you give me, I will erase you from this world, and not without a good deal of suffering.”

“Hah. Point taken. But if you are so bent on protecting him, you better head to the red-light district.” Levi stopped.

“What did you say?”

“He was spotted hanging around the east edge of the whore houses just a few minutes ago. Walking around like he’d been smacked on the head. Not the best place to stumble around half dumb, I’d say.” The man started to laugh but was silenced by Levi, who had turned around and pounced on the man, clenching his throat tightly in his fingers.

“Fuck you. If I find out you told anyone to go after him, you are finished.” He lifted the man up off of his toes and flung him to the ground. The man cackled, clasping his aching throat as Levi walked away briskly.

“No Levi, you are finished. This ball and chain of yours that you hold so dear is going to ruin you! Hahaha!” Levi ignored him, and as soon as he was out of sight, broke into a run. He was in full blown panic mode now. It was completely his fault that Eren was so dumbstruck right now. The buildings flew by in a blur as he took the fastest route to the red-light district. He slowed a walk as he reached his destination. He searched frantically, eyes sweeping across empty streets and darkened buildings. It was still the middle of the day, so this part of town was naturally deserted. The only people that hung out here in the middle of the afternoon were undoubtedly bad news; pathetic gangs and shit starters with insatiable appetites. Good business for Levi, but dangerous for Eren. He wouldn’t let anyone touch him. Reasons and excuses didn’t matter right now. He searched for any sign of brown hair, or a flash of those brilliant eyes. After ten minutes of fruitless searching, he considered the possibility that the disgusting man had lied to him, and vowed to beat him within an inch of his life, when he heard a conversation from somewhere nearby.

“Come on, come have some fun with us.” An intoxicated voice sneered.

“Fuck off.” A brash but familiar voice replied. Levi’s heart jumped, and then settled into the pit of his stomach. That was Eren. He darted around the corner of the nearest building and spotted four people, three standing, and one on the ground. The three standing were undoubtedly the sewer rats that swarmed this area, as cliché as you could be. The person on the ground was also unfortunately exactly who Levi was expecting. He sat on the ground against the wall of the building, green eyes glowering at the punks surrounding him.

“Aw come on, we’ll show you a better time than you could possibly get sitting here.”

“I’m not looking for a ‘better time,’ dickface. Get lost.” The three guys jeered at Eren.

“You’ll come whether you like it or not. Even if you don’t have a good time, we will.” Three sets of hands reached out to grab Eren, and Levi gritted his teeth in anger.

“Hey!” He snapped as he stepped forward. Four heads turned to look at him. Fear dawned on a couple of the faces, and Eren’s eyes widened in surprise. Eren and Levi locked eyes for a moment, and Levi still saw a hurtful twinge in Eren’s expression. Levi couldn’t look away, until one of the punks angrily stepped forward in challenge.

“What the fuck do you want old man?” He spat. One of the others kicked him frantically.

“You idiot, the hell are you doing? That’s Levi!”

“Levi? Should I know who that is?”

“I should hope so, if you want to last much longer around here.” Levi interjected. His challenger bristled in anger.

“Please, what could you do, shortie?” Levi’s eyes narrowed to slits, and the other two punks cowered.

“Hang around if you want to find out. Otherwise, get the fuck out.”

“Why should we? We’re in the middle of something.”

“Oh? And what would that be?” Levi murmured menacingly.

“Not that you deserve to know, but we’re taking this kid to have some fun with us.” Levi glanced down at Eren, who hadn’t looked away from Levi since he arrived. There wasn’t a trace of fear in Eren, which wasn’t surprising, but Eren was definitely stunned, pained, and confused. Levi felt another pulse of guilt, but returned his heated gaze to the other three boys.

“If you touch him, I guarantee you will lose your fingers.”

“Hah? What the hell, this has nothing to do with you. We found him first.” His challenger reached out to grab Eren, and Levi immediately leaped forward, covering the distance between them in a second. He clutched the man’s arm, swept his leg under the man's feet, and threw him flat on his back. The man coughed as the pavement knocked the air out of him. Levi looked threateningly down at the man, and walked to stand behind Eren. He reached out and covered Eren’s eyes with his hand. Eren gasped and leaned his head on Levi’s leg.

“This does have something to do with me. This kid belongs to me. He’s mine. Anyone who comes too close will be punished. Remember that.” The timbre at which Levi spoke was like a tremor; low, permeating, and sending a shiver through all who heard, including Eren. Levi felt this, and gently tightened his grip. The three men nodded furiously and somewhat comically at Levi, before turning tail and running off. Levi scoffed and moved his hand from Eren’s face. He turned to look at Eren, who was still staring at Levi in confused shock.

“Are you okay?” Levi asked. Eren blinked, seeming to snap out of his trance.

“Yeah, I’m fine… why are you…?”

“I heard, that once again, you were roaming around in dangerous places and came to find you.” Levi flicked Eren’s head with his forefinger, but his hand was pushed away as Eren’s head drooped. Levi looked at him curiously.

“Are you…” Eren started slowly, “…torturing me?”

“What?” Levi asked. Eren swung his head up to look at Levi, and Levi saw angry tears glimmering in Eren’s eyes.

“What the hell, Levi? What are you trying to do to me?”

“Huh? I just saved your ass from being gang raped.”

“I never asked you to!”

“What? You want to be violated?”

“No! Why are you doing this? Why are you bothering to save me when you don’t care about me? You obviously know how I feel about you, hell, you probably knew before I did, but you don’t care for me at all! Are you playing with me? I can’t take this anymore! Just… just leave me alone.” Eren’s enraged voice died out with a choked sob, and he slumped against the wall. Levi was quiet. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Now that Eren was in front of him, safe, and had laid bare all the damage that Levi had caused, the buzzing in his brain had finally stilled. Eren’s anger had blown away the confusion in his brain. He knew what he needed to do now. No matter how wishy-washy he had been thus far, there was one thing that was certain. Eren didn’t deserve any harm, and Levi wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt him. But first, he needed to prevent _himself_ from hurting Eren. The slumped form before him was compelling him to speak, to finally speak some truth.

“Eren.” Levi said softly. Eren looked up and the glimmer still in his eyes struck Levi to the core. _That expression_. That _goddamn expression_ was killing him. “Eren listen. All of this is my fault. I have been a prick and I know it. If you want an excuse, I was hoping to keep you out of the trouble that’s around me. Obviously, that wasn’t successful. Since that’s the case, there is evidently no point in continuing to push you away like I have. Yes, I know how you feel about me. And yes, I straight up manipulated you.” Levi squatted down in front of Eren, whose gaze had once again fallen to the pavement. His shoulders were still shaking, either out of mortification or anger, probably both.

“But…” Levi continued, and he reached his hand out to grip Eren’s chin and raised Eren’s gaze to meet his. Eren’s emerald eyes shifted side to side slightly before finally meeting Levi’s. “I’ve also lied to you, Eren. You asked me earlier why I kissed you the other day. I told you that it was a test. Unfortunately, that’s not the lie. I did want to confirm how you felt. However, I lied when I said that was all it was.” He paused, gauging Eren’s reaction. The glimmer of anger was slowly being replaced by a hesitant hope. Levi’s heart ached. This kid was impossibly honest in his emotions. Compared to Eren, Levi was the biggest emotional con-man around. Levi was now determined to at least meet him halfway. “The whole truth Eren, is that I was testing myself as well. I’ve been saving your ass and protecting you. You want to know why. So do I. The best answer that I have right now is that I just can’t leave you alone. To say that I don’t give a shit about you is completely false. As strange and stupid as it sounds, we are drawn to each other, by your memories or whatever the fuck it is. I’m going to take responsibility for that. I’m going to take responsibility for _you_.”

“Then, what you said to those guys…”

“A little exaggerated maybe, I needed to be blunt, mark my territory so to speak, but I meant it.”

“Levi… I…”

“I said you’re mine, but really, you are far too stubborn for that.” Levi snorted. Eren slowly smiled.

“Ha. I might not mind though, if it’s you.”

“That’s a pretty bold statement.”

“…So what now?”

“Depends. What do you want to do?”

“That’s… I mean… I still want to be around you.”

“But that’s not all.” Eren’s face flared red. Levi held back a smirk and tried to ignore the passing thought of ' _cute.'_

“No… it’s not.” Eren’s eyes kept flicking up and down out of pure embarrassment, unable to turn away with Levi still holding his chin. Levi leaned slightly closer. It was only a couple inches, but that small difference caused Eren to tremble like a bird under Levi’s fingers.

“Full disclosure, I have a shitload of baggage.”

“I know.”

“I am short, anti-social, rude, full of bad habits, and potentially dangerous.” Eren laughed nervously.

“I think I’ve figured that out by now.”

“And you’re still around. Amazing.”

“You’re the one who said I was stubborn.”

“Damn right you are.” Levi gently pulled on Eren’s chin, drawing them still closer.

“Are you testing me again?” Eren mumbled.

“Nah. No need for that anymore.” Eren shivered as Levi closed the gap between them. As their lips touched softly, Levi felt Eren shrink back for less than a second, but then push back eagerly. Levi smirked as he moved his lips across Eren’s, which were completely still. Levi tried to elicit some activity from Eren by lightly sucking on his upper lip, but Eren trembled and went even stiffer. ‘ _Damn he’s nervous_.’ Levi mused. He pulled back and looked at Eren. Eren’s eyes were squeezed shut, he looked like he was clenching his jaw, and his ears and cheeks were dusted a bright magenta. Once again, Levi was forced to acknowledge how goddamn adorable Eren looked. Eren opened his eyes slightly, and gasped in a breath that he had evidently been holding.

“You know,” Levi said, slightly teasingly, “kisses usually require two-way participation.” Eren started, flustered.

“Sorry! I mean… I don’t know what to do. That was only my second kiss.”

“Seriously? Damn I fucked up big time then.”

“…It’s okay; I... realized a lot of things because of it.”

“Like?”

“Like that I’m probably… gay.” Eren averted his eyes and Levi released Eren’s chin.

“’Probably?’ I would say you need a little more conviction.”

“Well I’ve never thought about it before.”

“Think about it. It’s not an easy thing to come to terms with, and being half-assed about it will cause all sorts of problems, especially in this society.”

“When did you realize it?”

“It wasn’t really a ‘realization’ for me. It’s a long story that you probably don’t want to hear right now and I don’t feel very inclined to tell it.”

“Will you tell me sometime?” Eren asked. Levi hesitated.

“Maybe, sure.” Eren pouted a little bit, and Levi almost chuckled.

“Well, if there is one thing I am sure about, it’s that I’m attracted to you.”

“Oh? If you are going to keep being so bold, you should probably learn how to kiss.” Levi snorted. He was surprised when Eren smirked, almost triumphantly despite still being flushed scarlet with embarrassment.

“Teach me?” He lilted. Levi was taken aback for a moment, but finally let Eren see his own smirk and leaned close to Eren’s face again.

“Smart ass. You better pay attention then. Try to mimic my movements. And breathe through your nose.” Before Eren could reply, Levi pressed their lips together again. Eren gasped in surprise, but this time made a real effort to return the pressure. Levi hummed against Eren’s mouth. Eren was clumsy, a little slow, and trying to make up for inexperience with force of effort. But just like everything else about Eren, the kiss was honest. Levi couldn’t say it was terrible, if anything, the dogged innocence was spurring a hunger in him. He intensified the kiss, trapping Eren’s lips and occasionally sliding his tongue across Eren’s closed mouth. Eren tensed, and then relaxed into Levi. Before Levi dared go any further, he once again pulled back, grazing his teeth along Eren’s lower lip. Eren opened his eyes halfway, they were unfocused and his pupils were blown. ‘So innocent.’ Levi thought. Eren’s sea-colored eyes turned to Levi’s in a questioning and pleading manner that almost destroyed Levi’s self-control.

“Eren,” He whispered, “Open your mouth.” Eren’s eyes widened impossibly and he turned a new shade of red. Slowly, tantalizingly, Eren parted his slightly swollen lips. Levi reached for Eren’s head and grasped him by his hair, pulling him in. As Levi again claimed Eren’s lips, he slid his tongue inside. Eren did another sharp intake of breath and grasped Levi’s arms. Levi slowly but firmly explored Eren’s mouth. Again, Eren was struck dumb for a moment, but gradually resumed his blundering participation. Their warm breaths played between their mouths as tongues continuously twisted and slid against each other, the bittersweet tastes intermingling. Levi pushed Eren backwards until Eren hit the wall and Levi moved forward onto his knees, trapping Eren with his other arm. Eren whimpered slightly in his throat as Levi worshipped every part of Eren’s mouth that he could reach.

_‘It’s been a long time since I’ve kissed someone like this.’_ Levi pondered vaguely. In truth, Levi had probably never kissed someone “like this,” but Eren was drawing out Levi’s passion like he was sucking poison out through Levi’s mouth. Intimacy was a means to an end, but Levi couldn’t say what the “end” he wanted from Eren was. There was a dull, warm throbbing in his gut that was also emerging in the corners of his chest. It wasn’t “arousal” per se, but it was powerful. Levi stroked Eren’s hair as he pulled away, connected for a moment by a string of their mixed saliva. Eren was flushed and gasping, and Levi almost attacked him again.

“…Levi?” Eren inquired breathlessly.

“Come on, Eren. We probably should go. Its late afternoon and people are going to start filling up this area pretty fast. I’d rather not be around when that happens.” Levi stood up, habitually brushing off his leather pants. Eren nodded and scrambled to stand.

“Sure, where will we…” Eren looked around him for a moment, then his mouth dropped open. “Where’s my backpack?”

“You lost it? It didn’t get stolen did it?”

“I don’t know… I don’t remember.” Levi blinked, then he realized something.

“I think it’s at the bar.”

“Huh?”

“I’m pretty sure you left it there when I… when you left.” Levi felt a prick of guilt again.

“Oh… I guess I better go back for it.” The intimate atmosphere had completely atrophied into awkwardness. Eren pulled at his sleeves, blankly straightening out the folds at his elbows. Levi cleared his throat to hide a soft laugh at Eren’s distress, though he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a little flustered as well.

“It’ll take a little more than a half hour to walk back there, you wandered pretty far. Ugh, I don’t really want to walk back.” Levi lapsed into silence. An idea had come to his mind, and he was weighing it carefully. He finally sighed and looked back at Eren.

“Fuck it. Wanna swing by my place Eren?” Eren looked back in dubious shock.

“Huh?”

“It’s only about five minutes from here, I figured we could go there, then grab my bike and be back to the bar in half the time.” Levi was still wary of showing Eren where he lived, but Eren’s face brightened and his turquoise eyes seemed to suck in every speck of light.

“That sounds awesome! I would love to see where you live!” Eren exclaimed.

_‘Damn him and his honesty.’_ Levi thought.

“All right then let’s go.” He sighed. He started to walk away, still a little disbelieving as to what had just occurred. He was all in now. He and Eren were in this together, despite all his worries and countermeasures, and despite all the danger and misgivings. But, as he glanced back to see Eren bounding up behind him, blushing and eager, he only thought _‘oh well’_ and turned to hide his small smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! What do you think, eh? FINALLY REAL PROGRESS?? I told you I'd make it up to you for the last chap. 
> 
> Feedback gives me LIFE. Don't let me die!
> 
> I really REALLY appreciate all the comments and kudos I get, thank you so much!
> 
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